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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: calf · arm · pass · net · row · game · cue · can

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. row — to paddle
  6. can — a tin
  7. cue — a signal
  8. row — a line
  9. can — to be able to
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. net — after costs
  13. cue — a hint
  14. pass — a permit
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. game — a match
  18. net — in sport
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. game — wild animals
  21. net — for catching
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. cue — for pool
  24. arm — a part of something

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