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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. season — in sport
  4. rash — hasty
  5. pop — to visit
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. bear — the animal
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. pop — music
  14. bear — the animal
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. bore — to drill
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. rash — a series
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. season — of the year
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bore — to tire
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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