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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. staff — employees
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. staff — employees
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. tube — the underground
  8. rush — hurry
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. staff — a stick
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. tube — a container
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. bark — to shout
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — to recline

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