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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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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: bear · arm · calf · racket · bowl · foot · plane · stem

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bear — the animal
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. foot — a measure
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. plane — a tool
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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