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

Word bank: arm · lie · firm · sharp · stick · wind · calf · ruler

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. wind — moving air
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. wind — moving air
  8. firm — a company
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. firm — decided
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. firm — steady
  24. sharp — exactly

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