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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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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: wax · clip · safe · cap · pit · calf · ruler · arm

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. clip — to cut
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cap — of ice
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pit — a hole
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. cap — a lid
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. clip — a video
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. wax — to grow
  24. clip — for paper

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