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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
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: track · march · calf · net · scale · staff · arm · stick

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. track — to keep track
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. staff — employees
  7. scale — size or range
  8. staff — employees
  9. march — the month
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. track — a song
  12. track — a path
  13. march — music
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. net — in sport
  16. march — the month
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. net — for catching
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. scale — in music
  24. net — after costs

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