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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: cue · arm · calf · squash · lie · chip · lash · stick

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. chip — for betting
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. squash — to crush
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — a signal
  12. chip — to eat
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. squash — the sport
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. lie — to recline
  22. cue — for pool
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. lash — an eyelash

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