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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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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: arm · saw · club · game · calf · face

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. game — wild animals
  4. face — part of the head
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. club — for dancing
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. saw — the tool
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. face — to confront
  11. face — to point toward
  12. club — for golf
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. club — a group
  16. saw — the tool
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. game — a match

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