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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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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: foot · mouse · arm · drill · lash · squash · bound · mate

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. mate — a friend
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bound — tied together
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bound — obliged
  8. squash — to crush
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. drill — army training
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. foot — a measure
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. drill — the tool
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. drill — a practice
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bound — certain
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. squash — the sport

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