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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: lean · arm · cap · calf · mouse · squash · mark · wake

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  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. squash — to crush
  3. cap — of ice
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. wake — a trail
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. lean — thin
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mark — a grade
  12. lean — to bend
  13. mark — a trace
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cap — a lid
  23. squash — the sport
  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