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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bear — the animal
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. squash — to crush
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — the season
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. mark — a grade
  10. perch — the fish
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bear — the animal
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. fall — to drop
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. squash — the sport
  24. arm — part of the body

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