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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hand · pass · capital · arm · saw · lash

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. pass — a permit
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. hand — help
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. saw — the tool
  7. capital — money
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. saw — the tool
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. capital — a city
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. 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