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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: deal · lie · fine · row · arm · kid · calf · hand

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. kid — to tease
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — all right
  10. row — to paddle
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. hand — help
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. fine — high quality
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. deal — to handle
  17. lie — to recline
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. kid — child
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. hand — in cards
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. row — a line

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