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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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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 · stick · arm · plane · key · wave · track · pound

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. plane — a tool
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. pound — a weight
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. key — the most important part
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. track — to keep track
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. track — a song
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — in music
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. track — a path

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