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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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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. game — a match
  3. game — wild animals
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. craft — a skill
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. lie — to recline
  8. race — a contest
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. kick — in football
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. craft — boats
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. race — the arms race
  22. race — humankind
  23. racket — for tennis
  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