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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 hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. file — a tool
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. wake — a trail
  7. hand — in cards
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. pound — a weight
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. hand — help
  21. file — a document
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. file — a line of people
  24. wake — before a funeral

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