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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: pitcher · net · lash · calf · arm · rush · bound · toast

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bound — tied together
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bound — certain
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. bound — obliged
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. net — in sport
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. net — for catching
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. net — after costs
  21. toast — bread
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. arm — part of the body

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