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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
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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: arm · spell · bay · march · lash · mug · bear · pop

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. bear — the animal
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. mug — to rob
  7. pop — music
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. march — music
  10. mug — a cup
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. march — the month
  13. spell — letters
  14. bear — the animal
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. mug — a face
  18. pop — soda
  19. spell — a short time
  20. spell — magic
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pop — to visit
  23. march — the month
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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