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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: arm · calf · mark · chest · pass · swing · chair · mouse

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. mark — a trace
  7. chair — a leader
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. swing — music
  11. chest — of your body
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pass — a permit
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. swing — in golf
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mark — a grade
  21. chest — a box
  22. swing — to play on
  23. chest — of your body
  24. pass — to spend time

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