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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bulb — for light
  4. content — the amount
  5. track — to keep track
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. track — a path
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — the underground
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. track — a song
  14. rest — a break
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. content — happy
  17. rest — what's left
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. tube — a container
  20. rest — what's left
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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