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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.

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: face · ground · mouse · calf · arm · staff · racket · key

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. staff — employees
  5. ground — crushed
  6. face — to point toward
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — for a lock
  9. ground — the earth
  10. face — part of the head
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. staff — employees
  13. ground — a position
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. face — to confront
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. key — in music
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. staff — a stick

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