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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. stock — goods
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. cue — a signal
  5. chest — of your body
  6. chest — of your body
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. chest — a box
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. scale — in music
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. cue — a hint
  13. scale — size or range
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. suit — to fit
  21. cue — for pool
  22. stock — shares
  23. suit — clothes
  24. calf — of the leg

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