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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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. shower — to wash
  8. kick — in football
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. shower — rain
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. arm — a part of something

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