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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: content · calf · lash · sharp · bound · key · board · arm

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. key — the most important part
  5. content — happy
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. sharp — clever
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bound — certain
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bound — tied together
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. bound — obliged
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. board — to get on
  19. key — for a lock
  20. content — the amount
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — a committee

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