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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. roll — a list
  3. roll — a cake
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. last — final
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. last — finally
  9. stem — to come from
  10. can — to be able to
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. wound — an injury
  13. last — to go on
  14. can — a tin
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. wound — an injury
  17. can — a tin
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. foot — a measure
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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