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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. perch — the fish
  7. saw — the tool
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. deal — to handle
  10. net — for catching
  11. net — in sport
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. saw — the tool
  17. snap — to click
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. net — after costs
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. lash — to lash out

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