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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: wave · mark · cap · rock · sharp · arm · calf · foot

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. sharp — clever
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. cap — a lid
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. rock — music
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. cap — a hat
  10. cap — of ice
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. foot — a measure
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. mark — a grade
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. mark — a trace
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — a part of something

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