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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. foot — a measure
  8. cell — in biology
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. date — the fruit
  11. craft — boats
  12. bulb — for light
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. craft — a skill
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. cell — a phone
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. bulb — for light
  24. arm — a part of something

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