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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. kick — in football
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. club — a group
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. cell — in biology
  7. mug — a face
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mug — to rob
  12. club — for dancing
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. mug — a cup
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. court — of a king
  18. club — for golf
  19. court — of law
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. court — for sport

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