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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: kick · arm · kid · firm · craft · cue · snap · bay

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. kick — in football
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a hint
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — decided
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. cue — a signal
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. snap — to click
  15. kid — to tease
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. firm — steady
  18. craft — boats
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. craft — a skill
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. kid — child
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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