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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
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: arm · bowl · field · plane · foot · calf · game · board

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. board — to get on
  3. foot — a measure
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. field — farmland
  9. board — a committee
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. field — for sport
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. field — a subject
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. game — a match
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. plane — a tool
  23. game — wild animals
  24. plane — an aircraft

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