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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: calf · racket · cabinet · net · arm · spell · lean · date

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. spell — magic
  3. net — after costs
  4. net — for catching
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. date — the fruit
  7. lean — to bend
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spell — letters
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. net — in sport
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. date — on the calendar
  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