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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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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: lie · nail · mate · bay · calf · lash · game · arm

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. mate — a partner
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. mate — a friend
  11. lie — to recline
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mate — to breed
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. game — a match
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. game — wild animals
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. nail — for a hammer

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