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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. firm — decided
  4. scale — in music
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. firm — a company
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. fork — in a road
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. hand — help
  14. season — in sport
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. firm — steady
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. scale — size or range
  20. hand — in cards
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. season — of the year
  24. lash — to lash out

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