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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. chest — of your body
  3. chest — of your body
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. prune — to trim
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bank — of a river
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. stand — to bear
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. chest — a box
  22. prune — to trim
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. lash — an eyelash

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