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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: chip · court · arm · calf · stand · hand · spell · kick

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. stand — to bear
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. hand — help
  7. court — of law
  8. spell — letters
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chip — for betting
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. spell — a short time
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. kick — in football
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. hand — in cards
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. court — of a king
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. court — for sport
  24. hand — 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