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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. firm — decided
  3. present — there
  4. present — the time now
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. wind — moving air
  10. chip — to eat
  11. object — a thing
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. stem — to come from
  14. chip — for betting
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. present — a gift
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — to protest
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. firm — a company
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. wind — moving air
  23. firm — steady
  24. stem — a stem cell

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