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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. suit — to fit
  5. season — of the year
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. suit — clothes
  9. stock — shares
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. saw — the tool
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. suit — in cards
  14. saw — the tool
  15. face — part of the head
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. face — to confront
  18. stock — goods
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. season — in sport
  21. face — to point toward
  22. dip — to sink
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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