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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: trunk · lash · kick · pitcher · arm · squash · hand · fine

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. kick — in football
  3. hand — help
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. fine — high quality
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. fine — all right
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. squash — to crush
  20. squash — the sport
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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