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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: lash · mug · bay · trunk · squash · sharp · pit · hand

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. sharp — clever
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. squash — to crush
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. squash — the sport
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. pit — a hole
  19. hand — in cards
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. pit — in a race
  24. hand — help

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