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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: rash · arm · saw · bear · wave · firm · lash · stick

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. firm — decided
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. firm — steady
  9. bear — the animal
  10. saw — the tool
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rash — hasty
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. rash — a series
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. saw — the tool
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. firm — a company
  24. bear — the animal

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