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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. hand — in cards
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. cap — of ice
  8. chair — a leader
  9. hand — help
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. cap — a lid
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. cap — a hat
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. temple — side of the head

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