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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: suit · lash · racket · nail · arm · charge · fork · cell

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — electricity
  6. suit — in cards
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. cell — a phone
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. suit — clothes
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. charge — a price
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. fork — in a road
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. cell — in biology

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