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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: roll · ground · calf · press · arm · lie · prune · patient

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. roll — a list
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. prune — to trim
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. ground — the earth
  12. press — to push
  13. press — a publisher
  14. prune — to trim
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. ground — a position
  17. roll — a cake
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. ground — crushed
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. lie — to recline
  24. press — newspapers

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