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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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. land — to come down
  4. bound — certain
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. staff — a stick
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. staff — employees
  13. ball — a dance
  14. mark — a grade
  15. bound — tied together
  16. staff — employees
  17. mark — a trace
  18. land — ground
  19. land — a country
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bound — obliged
  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