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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: foot · rock · can · race · swing · arm · staff · lash

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  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. race — a contest
  2. swing — to play on
  3. staff — employees
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. staff — employees
  7. can — a tin
  8. staff — a stick
  9. foot — a measure
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. swing — music
  13. can — a tin
  14. race — the arms race
  15. rock — music
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. can — to be able to
  18. race — humankind
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. swing — in golf
  22. rock — a stone
  23. lash — to lash out
  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