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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: row · leaves · jam · lash · present · arm · ground · suit

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. row — a line
  3. present — there
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. ground — crushed
  6. suit — in cards
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. ground — the earth
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. ground — a position
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. present — a gift
  15. present — the time now
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. suit — to fit
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. row — to paddle
  23. suit — clothes
  24. arm — 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