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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: squash · arm · perch · calf · wake · date · foot · chip

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  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. chip — in a computer
  2. perch — the fish
  3. squash — to crush
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. date — the fruit
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. chip — for betting
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. squash — the sport
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. chip — to eat
  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