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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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468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. ball — a dance
  6. saw — the tool
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. ball — a great time
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. ball — a round shape

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