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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  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. suit — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — a practice
  6. row — a line
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. drill — the tool
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. last — finally
  13. row — to paddle
  14. last — to go on
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. plane — a tool
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. suit — clothes
  23. last — final
  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