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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: arm · lash · last · pitcher · hand · foot · racket · cabinet

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. hand — in cards
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. last — final
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. last — to go on
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. foot — a measure
  17. hand — help
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. last — finally
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. hand — part of the body

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