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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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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cap — a hat
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. fall — the season
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fall — to drop
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. fall — to drop
  16. staff — a stick
  17. staff — employees
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cap — of ice
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. staff — employees
  24. fan — a supporter

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