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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.

Make a worksheet

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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. mug — a face
  5. mug — a cup
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. lean — thin
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. lean — to bend
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. capital — a city
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. capital — money
  24. mug — to rob

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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