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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. rest — a break
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. content — happy
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. content — the amount
  10. capital — a city
  11. foot — a measure
  12. squash — the sport
  13. rest — what's left
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. squash — to crush
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. capital — money
  24. coach — a trainer

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