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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 120 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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. mate — a partner
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. cue — for pool
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. lean — to bend
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. mate — a friend
  10. snap — to click
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. mate — to breed
  13. cue — a hint
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. lean — thin
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. cue — a signal
  20. club — a group
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. club — for dancing
  23. club — for golf
  24. arm — part of the body

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