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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 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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. charge — in control
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. dip — to sink
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. bank — for money
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. charge — electricity
  14. mine — for digging
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. bank — of a river
  18. charge — a price
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bank — for money
  21. sharp — clever
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. dip — to dunk

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