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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: arm · can · key · bowl · kick · net · wake · bay

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. net — after costs
  6. key — for a lock
  7. net — in sport
  8. net — for catching
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. key — in music
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. wake — a trail
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. key — the most important part
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. can — to be able to
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. can — a tin
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. can — a tin
  24. kick — in football

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