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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: tube · lash · pass · key · calf · arm · rush · capital

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. tube — a container
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — in music
  5. capital — money
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. tube — the underground
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. key — for a lock
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. capital — a city
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. pass — a permit
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. pass — to spend time

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