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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. present — there
  5. present — the time now
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. present — a gift
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. pound — a weight
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. mug — a face
  15. mug — a cup
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. craft — boats
  20. kick — in football
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. craft — a skill
  23. mug — to rob
  24. branch — a division

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