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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. foot — a measure
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. mate — to breed
  14. cell — in biology
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. cell — a phone
  20. mate — a partner
  21. bore — to tire
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. mate — a friend
  24. bore — to drill

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