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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.

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: toast · mouse · calf · arm · ball · net · swing · sharp

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. net — for catching
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. swing — music
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. net — after costs
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. swing — to play on
  19. net — in sport
  20. sharp — clever
  21. toast — bread
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. ball — a round shape

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