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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rest — what's left
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. suit — to fit
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. key — in music
  9. key — for a lock
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. rest — what's left
  12. key — the most important part
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. rest — a break
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. suit — clothes
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. suit — in cards
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. row — a line
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. row — to paddle

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