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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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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: rock · lash · bore · arm · stick · swing · rest · ground

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. swing — in golf
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. ground — the earth
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. ground — crushed
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. rock — music
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bore — to tire
  17. ground — a position
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. swing — music
  21. bore — to drill
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. swing — to play on
  24. rest — a break

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