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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 · kick · dip · snap · last · pitch · nail · bowl

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. pitch — completely
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. last — finally
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. snap — to click
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to sink
  16. kick — in football
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. last — final
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. last — to go on
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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