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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. chest — of your body
  5. capital — money
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. mark — a grade
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. craft — a skill
  13. chest — of your body
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. craft — boats
  16. mate — to breed
  17. chest — a box
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mate — a partner
  20. capital — a city
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. mark — a trace
  24. foot — a measure

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