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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. saw — the tool
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. foot — a measure
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bark — to shout
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. suit — in cards
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. suit — clothes
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. tube — the underground
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. saw — the tool
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. tube — a container

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