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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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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: club · deal · tube · fine · lash · press · suit · arm

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. tube — the underground
  3. club — a group
  4. suit — to fit
  5. fine — all right
  6. press — newspapers
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. suit — clothes
  12. club — for golf
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. suit — in cards
  15. deal — to handle
  16. fine — high quality
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. press — a publisher
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. press — to push
  24. tube — a container

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