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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 116 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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. squash — the sport
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. current — of water
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. land — a country
  8. pound — a weight
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — electric
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. stem — to come from
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. land — ground
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. wax — to grow
  19. land — to come down
  20. squash — to crush
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bowl — a dish

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