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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. staff — a stick
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. mug — a face
  5. kick — in football
  6. staff — employees
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. can — to be able to
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. club — for dancing
  11. can — a tin
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. club — for golf
  14. can — a tin
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mug — a cup
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. hand — in cards
  19. hand — help
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. staff — employees
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. club — a group

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