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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. lean — to bend
  3. tube — a container
  4. kid — to tease
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. kid — child
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. tube — the underground
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. foot — a measure
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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