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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. mark — a trace
  3. date — the fruit
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. swing — in golf
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. mark — a grade
  9. swing — to play on
  10. stem — to come from
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — a container
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. rock — music
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. foot — a measure
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. swing — music
  21. rock — a stone
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. tube — in a tire

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com