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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 120 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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. last — finally
  4. squash — to crush
  5. firm — steady
  6. squash — the sport
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. firm — decided
  10. last — to go on
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bass — low music
  13. lie — to recline
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bass — the fish
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — music
  19. rock — a stone
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. firm — a company
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. last — final

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