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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.

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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: squash · arm · key · cell · dip · cap · calf · ball

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. ball — a great time
  3. cell — a phone
  4. cell — in biology
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. dip — to sink
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cap — a hat
  11. ball — a dance
  12. key — in music
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. cap — of ice
  15. squash — to crush
  16. key — for a lock
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. squash — the sport
  22. key — the most important part
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. squash — the vegetable

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