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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. cap — a lid
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. snap — to click
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. cap — a hat
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stock — goods
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. cap — of ice
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. nail — for a hammer

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