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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: foot · cabinet · arm · bass · cue · date · calf · field

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bass — low music
  4. bass — the fish
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. date — the fruit
  11. cue — for pool
  12. field — farmland
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. foot — a measure
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. cue — a signal
  23. field — a subject
  24. bass — the instrument

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