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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. charge — in control
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. fork — in a road
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. charge — a price
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. charge — electricity
  20. chair — a leader
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. sharp — clever

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