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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. chip — to eat
  6. perch — the fish
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. chip — for betting
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. key — the most important part
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. key — in music
  14. club — for golf
  15. club — a group
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. key — for a lock
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. wax — to grow
  21. club — for dancing
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. arm — part of the body

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