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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: spell · suit · net · arm · last · lash · fine · kid

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. kid — child
  3. fine — all right
  4. suit — in cards
  5. last — finally
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. last — final
  10. spell — a short time
  11. net — in sport
  12. spell — letters
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. spell — magic
  15. net — for catching
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. net — after costs
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — to fit
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. last — to go on
  24. arm — a part of something

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