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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. present — there
  4. present — a gift
  5. band — a music group
  6. bank — for money
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. band — a ring
  9. lean — to bend
  10. present — the time now
  11. season — of the year
  12. lean — thin
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. season — in sport
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. spring — of water
  18. spring — a coil
  19. bank — for money
  20. spring — the season
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. bank — of a river
  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