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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: jam · face · kid · lash · ruler · arm · ball · spell

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  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 — in traffic
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. spell — letters
  4. ball — a great time
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. face — part of the head
  9. spell — magic
  10. kid — child
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. face — to confront
  13. spell — a short time
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ball — a dance
  17. kid — to tease
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. face — to point toward
  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