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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: lash · squash · can · wound · arm · fork · pit · object

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. wound — an injury
  3. pit — in a race
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. can — a tin
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. squash — to crush
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. can — a tin
  10. fork — in a road
  11. can — to be able to
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. squash — the sport
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. object — to protest
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. object — an aim
  22. wound — an injury
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. object — a thing

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