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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. current — electric
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. board — to get on
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. current — happening now
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. season — of the year
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. board — a committee
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. season — in sport
  21. bat — the animal
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. stem — to come from
  24. current — of water

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