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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. cap — a hat
  5. rule — government
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. rule — a law
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. cap — of ice
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. cap — a lid

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