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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.

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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
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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: arm · mouse · firm · calf · squash · current · wind · pop

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. pop — soda
  3. current — of water
  4. pop — to visit
  5. firm — steady
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — a company
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. wind — moving air
  15. pop — music
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. current — electric
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. current — happening now
  21. wind — moving air
  22. squash — the sport
  23. squash — to crush
  24. calf — a young animal

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