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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. suit — to fit
  3. kid — child
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. can — a tin
  8. ground — crushed
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. bat — the animal
  17. kid — to tease
  18. ground — a position
  19. suit — in cards
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. can — to be able to
  22. suit — clothes
  23. ground — the earth
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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