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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: calf · stand · saw · hide · arm · game

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. saw — the tool
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. game — a match
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. stand — to bear
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stand — for spectators

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