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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: calf · bat · key · arm · plane · fork · dip · date

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. fork — in a road
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. key — the most important part
  9. plane — a tool
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. bat — the animal
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. date — the fruit
  16. dip — to sink
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. key — in music
  24. key — for a lock

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