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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: lash · content · arm · bound · board · rash · rock · firm

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bound — certain
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. rash — hasty
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. firm — a company
  7. bound — obliged
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. content — the amount
  10. board — a committee
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. bound — tied together
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rock — music
  17. firm — decided
  18. board — to get on
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. content — happy
  21. rash — a series
  22. firm — steady
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. rock — to move gently

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