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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. track — a song
  4. rock — a stone
  5. track — a path
  6. kick — in football
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. track — to keep track
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. toast — bread
  17. rock — music
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. branch — a division
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. rock — to move gently

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