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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: dip · coach · sharp · tube · lash · arm · bore · pit

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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 — in a race
  3. tube — a container
  4. pit — a hole
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. bore — to drill
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bore — to tire
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. sharp — clever
  22. tube — the underground
  23. dip — to sink
  24. lash — to lash out

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