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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. track — to keep track
  4. perch — the fish
  5. craft — boats
  6. track — a song
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. fork — in a road
  12. craft — a skill
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. staff — employees
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. staff — a stick
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. track — a path
  24. staff — employees

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