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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. branch — a division
  5. spell — magic
  6. chair — a leader
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. rest — what's left
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — a break
  18. spell — letters
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. plane — a tool
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. spell — a short time
  24. branch — of a bank

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