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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. lean — to bend
  6. chip — to eat
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. mark — a trace
  9. degree — from a university
  10. stand — to bear
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. degree — an amount
  13. cell — a phone
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. degree — temperature
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. cell — in biology
  22. mark — a grade
  23. chip — for betting
  24. arm — a part of something

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