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

Word bank: arm · calf · kid · prune · bowl · board · plane · pass

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. board — a committee
  7. prune — to trim
  8. kid — to tease
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. board — to get on
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. kid — child
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. arm — part of the body

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