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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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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 sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. cue — for pool
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. cold — an illness
  14. pitch — completely
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. cue — a hint
  18. squash — to crush
  19. cue — a signal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. cold — not warm
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. squash — the sport
  24. mouse — for a computer

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