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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: bay · chip · spell · arm · staff · lash · scale · wake

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. spell — magic
  3. scale — size or range
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. scale — in music
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. chip — for betting
  11. spell — letters
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. staff — employees
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. staff — employees
  18. wake — a trail
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. staff — a stick
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. spell — a short time
  24. chip — to eat

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