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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: key · content · straw · arm · rock · bore · lash · ball

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. key — in music
  6. key — the most important part
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bore — to tire
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. rock — music
  17. content — happy
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. content — the amount
  20. bore — to drill
  21. rock — a stone
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. ball — a dance

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