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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pop · lash · key · stem · shower · mate · foot · arm

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. pop — to visit
  5. shower — rain
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. pop — soda
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. mate — to breed
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. key — for a lock
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. shower — to wash
  14. stem — to come from
  15. foot — a measure
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. mate — a partner
  19. pop — music
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. key — in music
  23. key — the most important part
  24. mate — a friend

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