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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. chip — to eat
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. branch — a division
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. craft — a skill
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. snap — to click
  14. rush — hurry
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. chip — for betting
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. craft — boats
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. arm — a part of something

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