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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
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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: kick · mouse · arm · ground · file · rush · dip · cue

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. file — a line of people
  3. ground — the earth
  4. file — a document
  5. cue — a hint
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. rush — hurry
  9. ground — crushed
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. cue — for pool
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. ground — a position
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. kick — in football
  17. file — a tool
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. cue — a signal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. dip — to sink

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