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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: bass · arm · bear · temple · nail · pit · toast · lash

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. pit — a hole
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. bear — the animal
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. pit — in a race
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. toast — bread
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bass — low music
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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