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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.

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: season · lash · arm · leaves · content · firm · wound · racket

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. firm — steady
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. season — in sport
  5. firm — decided
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. season — of the year
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. firm — a company
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. content — the amount
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. content — happy
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. wound — an injury

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