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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 120 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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. chest — of your body
  3. track — to keep track
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. cap — of ice
  8. can — to be able to
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. can — a tin
  11. bank — of a river
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bank — for money
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. chest — of your body
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bank — for money
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. can — a tin
  20. track — a song
  21. chest — a box
  22. cap — a hat
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. track — a path

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