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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. rest — what's left
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. rest — a break
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. cue — for pool
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. dip — to sink
  14. face — to point toward
  15. cue — a hint
  16. rest — what's left
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — a skill
  19. cue — a signal
  20. face — part of the head
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. face — to confront
  23. craft — boats
  24. patient — a sick person

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