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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 rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. club — for dancing
  4. plane — a tool
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. club — a group
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. bat — the animal

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