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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 120 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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rule — government
  6. face — to confront
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. rule — a law
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. face — part of the head
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. stem — to come from
  20. face — to point toward
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pitch — completely
  24. straw — dry grass

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