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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. kick — in football
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. hand — in cards
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. swing — in golf
  10. lean — to bend
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. hand — help
  14. swing — to play on
  15. press — newspapers
  16. press — to push
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. press — a publisher
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. lean — thin

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