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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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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: roll · jam · lash · pass · suit · kid · bay · arm

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pass — a permit
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — in cards
  12. roll — a cake
  13. kid — to tease
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. suit — to fit
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. roll — a list
  24. lash — an eyelash

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