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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. craft — a skill
  4. suit — to fit
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. saw — the tool
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. craft — boats
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. chair — a leader
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. suit — in cards
  16. rule — a law
  17. suit — clothes
  18. saw — the tool
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. pitch — completely
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. rule — government
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. arm — part of the body

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