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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. kick — in football
  3. land — ground
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. snap — to click
  6. rest — a break
  7. land — to come down
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. rest — what's left
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. land — a country
  14. pit — a hole
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rest — what's left
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. foot — a measure
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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