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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: arm · lie · deal · swing · craft · drill · squash · kick

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. squash — to crush
  4. drill — the tool
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. craft — a skill
  9. deal — to handle
  10. drill — army training
  11. craft — boats
  12. drill — a practice
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. kick — in football
  20. swing — music
  21. swing — to play on
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. squash — the sport
  24. swing — in golf

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