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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. spring — of water
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. deal — to handle
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. spring — a coil
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. kick — in football
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. mine — for digging
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. deal — a big deal

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