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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.

Make a worksheet

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: arm · perch · net · fall · key · calf · roll · fan

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. roll — a list
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. key — the most important part
  6. fall — the season
  7. net — in sport
  8. fall — to drop
  9. roll — a cake
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. net — for catching
  13. key — for a lock
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. net — after costs
  16. perch — the fish
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. key — in music
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. calf — a young animal

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