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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: season · arm · lash · bear · rock · rest · land · racket

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. land — ground
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. season — of the year
  6. rest — a break
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rest — what's left
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. land — a country
  13. land — to come down
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — a stone
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. season — in sport
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. rest — what's left

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