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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.

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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pop — music
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. pop — to visit
  6. swing — to play on
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. swing — in golf
  12. swing — music
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a dance
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. pop — soda
  18. track — a song
  19. track — to keep track
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. ball — a great time
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. track — a path

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