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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.

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: lash · hand · arm · racket · calf · staff · squash · board

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  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. squash — to crush
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. hand — help
  4. hand — in cards
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. staff — employees
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. staff — a stick
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. squash — the sport
  17. staff — employees
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. board — to get on
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. board — a committee
  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