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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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — to rob
  3. pit — a hole
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. hand — in cards
  6. hand — help
  7. capital — money
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pit — in a race
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. capital — a city
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. foot — a measure
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. mug — a face
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. stem — to come from
  24. hand — part of the body

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