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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.

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: foot · tear · hide · lash · hand · jam · suit · spell

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. hand — in cards
  5. spell — letters
  6. spell — a short time
  7. spell — magic
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. suit — clothes
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. foot — a measure
  15. suit — to fit
  16. tear — from crying
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. hand — help
  20. suit — in cards
  21. tear — from crying
  22. tear — to rip
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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