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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: bowl · mark · arm · calf · bear · plane · hide · ground

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. mark — a trace
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. ground — crushed
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. ground — the earth
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. ground — a position
  15. mark — a grade
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bear — the animal
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. mark — to pay attention

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