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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.

Make a worksheet

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: arm · fan · cabinet · capital · lean · drill · perch · calf

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. lean — to bend
  6. drill — the tool
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. drill — a practice
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. lean — thin
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. capital — a city
  19. drill — army training
  20. perch — the fish
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. capital — money
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. fan — a supporter

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