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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: spring · lash · leaves · march · can · content · racket · arm

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. content — happy
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. can — a tin
  7. spring — of water
  8. can — to be able to
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. march — the month
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. spring — a coil
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. content — the amount
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. march — the month
  21. march — music
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. can — a tin
  24. spring — the season

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