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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. ground — a position
  3. club — a group
  4. club — for golf
  5. lean — thin
  6. club — for dancing
  7. lean — to bend
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a skill
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. swing — to play on
  12. ground — crushed
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. swing — music
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. swing — in golf
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. ground — the earth
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. arm — part of the body

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