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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. rock — a stone
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. ball — a dance
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. ball — a great time
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. staff — employees
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. staff — employees
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. rock — music
  19. perch — the fish
  20. staff — a stick
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. hide — to keep secret

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