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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. fork — in a road
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. toast — bread
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. chair — a leader
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. craft — boats
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. craft — a skill

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