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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. cue — a hint
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. row — a line
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. chair — a leader
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. cue — for pool
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fine — all right
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. fine — high quality
  19. rush — hurry
  20. lie — to recline
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. cue — a signal
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. row — to paddle

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