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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 hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. hand — in cards
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. pass — a permit
  6. current — happening now
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. current — of water
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. current — electric
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. hand — help
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. racket — for tennis

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