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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.

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
468
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: arm · bowl · court · lash · pop · bear · rest · sharp

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  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. bear — the animal
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. rest — a break
  8. pop — to visit
  9. rest — what's left
  10. court — of a king
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. court — of law
  14. sharp — clever
  15. court — for sport
  16. pop — soda
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. pop — music
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bear — the animal
  23. arm — a part of something
  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