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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — hurry
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. court — for sport
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bound — obliged
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chip — to eat
  13. court — of law
  14. court — of a king
  15. pitch — completely
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bound — certain
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. arm — a part of something

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