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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. key — for a lock
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. key — in music
  9. kick — in football
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bark — to shout
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. perch — the fish
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. key — the most important part
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. foot — a measure
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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