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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. staff — a stick
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. net — in sport
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fall — the season
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pound — a weight
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. net — for catching
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. bat — the animal
  20. net — after costs
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. staff — employees

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