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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
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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: jam · firm · suit · field · mug · arm · tear · lash

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. field — a subject
  3. suit — clothes
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. tear — from crying
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. firm — a company
  8. suit — in cards
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. mug — a cup
  11. firm — steady
  12. tear — from crying
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. suit — to fit
  16. field — farmland
  17. tear — to rip
  18. mug — a face
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. field — for sport
  23. firm — decided
  24. mug — to rob

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