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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 120 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: arm · deal · bowl · straw · foot · stand · lash · can

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  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. bowl — to roll
  2. foot — a measure
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. can — a tin
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. can — to be able to
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. stand — to bear
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. deal — to handle
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. can — a tin
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  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