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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: bay · hand · calf · ball · safe · stem · arm · squash

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. hand — in cards
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. hand — help
  12. ball — a great time
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — to come from
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. squash — to crush
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. squash — the sport
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. arm — part of the body

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