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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. can — a tin
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. object — to protest
  10. degree — from a university
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. stem — to come from
  16. degree — temperature
  17. can — to be able to
  18. degree — an amount
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. object — a thing
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. lean — thin
  24. can — a tin

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