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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — for money
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. chest — a box
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. row — a line
  12. pass — a permit
  13. can — a tin
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. chest — of your body
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. row — to paddle
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bank — of a river
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. chest — of your body
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. lash — an eyelash

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