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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: tube · land · firm · arm · fan · fine · lash · suit

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. firm — a company
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. firm — decided
  10. tube — a container
  11. firm — steady
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. tube — the underground
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. suit — in cards
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fine — high quality
  19. land — to come down
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — all right
  22. land — ground
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. fan — to cool the air

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