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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: arm · calf · key · row · fine · spring · lean · snap

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. key — in music
  5. snap — to click
  6. spring — of water
  7. row — to paddle
  8. key — for a lock
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. spring — the season
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. lean — thin
  13. key — the most important part
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. spring — a coil
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. lean — to bend
  18. fine — all right
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. row — a line
  21. fine — high quality
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. calf — of the leg

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