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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 · suit · rock · spell · drill · bat · racket · arm

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. suit — in cards
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. drill — a practice
  9. drill — the tool
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. drill — army training
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spell — magic
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. bat — the animal
  18. spell — letters
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. suit — clothes
  24. rock — music

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