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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bank — of a river
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. bank — for money
  8. rest — what's left
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. rest — a break
  14. bank — for money
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. shower — to wash
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. toast — bread
  24. shower — rain

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