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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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468
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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. tear — from crying
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. pound — a weight
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a skill
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. sharp — clever
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. tear — to rip
  21. snap — to click
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. tear — from crying

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