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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: squash · calf · fan · kick · sharp · bowl · arm · cue

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. squash — to crush
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. squash — the sport
  12. cue — for pool
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. cue — a signal
  19. kick — in football
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. cue — a hint
  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