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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. cue — a hint
  6. kid — to tease
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. kick — in football
  11. board — to get on
  12. current — happening now
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. craft — a skill
  15. cue — for pool
  16. current — electric
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cell — a phone
  19. cell — in biology
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. craft — boats
  22. board — a committee
  23. current — of water
  24. kick — a thrill

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