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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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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: mug · arm · stand · chair · ruler · calf · court · row

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. row — a line
  6. stand — to bear
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. court — for sport
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. chair — a leader
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — to rob
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. court — of a king
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. mug — a face
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. row — to paddle
  22. court — of law
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. calf — of the leg

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