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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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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. fine — high quality
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. fine — all right
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. drill — army training
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — music
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. game — wild animals
  13. rash — a series
  14. drill — the tool
  15. game — a match
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. drill — a practice
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rash — hasty
  24. hide — to keep secret

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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