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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: court · ruler · stick · calf · perch · bowl · file · arm

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. file — a tool
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. court — of a king
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. file — a line of people
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. court — of law
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. court — for sport
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. file — a document
  24. perch — the fish

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