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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. kick — in football
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. cue — a signal
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. cue — for pool
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. hand — help
  16. shower — rain
  17. hand — in cards
  18. cue — a hint
  19. board — a committee
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. board — to get on
  23. shower — to wash
  24. bay — a horse colour

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