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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: kick · mate · current · spell · drill · bass · squash · arm

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. spell — magic
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. mate — a friend
  8. spell — a short time
  9. drill — army training
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. squash — the sport
  12. mate — a partner
  13. spell — letters
  14. mate — to breed
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bass — low music
  18. kick — in football
  19. current — of water
  20. squash — to crush
  21. current — happening now
  22. drill — the tool
  23. current — electric
  24. kick — a thrill

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