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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: arm · tube · track · lash · squash · firm · bay · pit

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. firm — steady
  6. track — a song
  7. pit — a hole
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. squash — the sport
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. pit — in a race
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. firm — a company
  15. track — to keep track
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. track — a path
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. firm — decided
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. tube — a container
  22. squash — to crush
  23. tube — the underground
  24. squash — the vegetable

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