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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. spell — letters
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. squash — the sport
  8. spell — magic
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. press — newspapers
  11. spell — a short time
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. squash — to crush
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. press — to push
  22. press — a publisher
  23. foot — a measure
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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