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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.

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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: arm · suit · current · kick · club · mark · squash · straw

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. mark — a grade
  3. current — of water
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. club — for dancing
  6. squash — the sport
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. suit — in cards
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. mark — a trace
  11. current — electric
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — clothes
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. club — for golf
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. club — a group
  22. current — happening now
  23. kick — in football
  24. arm — part of the body

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