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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 120 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.

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: straw · court · arm · fan · lean · rock · calf · lash

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. lean — thin
  17. court — for sport
  18. lean — to bend
  19. rock — a stone
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. court — of a king
  24. lash — to lash out

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