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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.

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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. kid — to tease
  12. suit — clothes
  13. hand — help
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. hand — in cards
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. suit — to fit
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. kid — child
  23. suit — in cards
  24. plane — a tool

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