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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 120 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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. bound — certain
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. net — for catching
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. net — in sport
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — tied together
  11. ball — a great time
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. kick — in football
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. key — the most important part
  16. stem — to come from
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. key — for a lock
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. key — in music
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. net — after costs
  24. ball — a dance

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