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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. rush — hurry
  4. ground — a position
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. ground — crushed
  10. stand — to bear
  11. chest — of your body
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. ground — the earth
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. chest — a box
  23. chest — of your body
  24. sharp — clever

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