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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.

Words on the sheet
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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kid — to tease
  7. current — happening now
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. kid — child
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. toast — bread
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. chair — a leader
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. current — electric
  22. current — of water
  23. kick — in football
  24. nail — for a hammer

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