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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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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. key — in music
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. fall — to drop
  5. spring — a coil
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. fall — the season
  10. dip — to sink
  11. key — for a lock
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. spring — of water
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. fall — to drop
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. key — the most important part
  21. spring — the season
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. lash — an eyelash

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