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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. tear — to rip
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. tear — from crying
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. rest — what's left
  17. branch — a division
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. tear — from crying
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. sharp — clever
  24. arm — part of the body

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