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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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Word bank
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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. net — for catching
  4. ball — a dance
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. track — a song
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. net — in sport
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. spell — magic
  17. spell — letters
  18. ball — a great time
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. track — a path
  21. net — after costs
  22. track — to keep track
  23. spell — a short time
  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