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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. bear — the animal
  8. tear — from crying
  9. staff — a stick
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. deal — to handle
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. staff — employees
  20. bear — the animal
  21. tear — from crying
  22. staff — employees
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. tear — to rip

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