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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.

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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: cabinet · suit · arm · lash · trunk · fine · land · ground

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. land — a country
  3. suit — to fit
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. ground — crushed
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. suit — in cards
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. land — to come down
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. ground — the earth
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. land — ground
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. ground — a position
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fine — all right
  24. suit — clothes

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