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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: arm · calf · swing · ground · roll · rock · shower · bass

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — music
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. rock — a stone
  7. ground — a position
  8. roll — a list
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. ground — the earth
  11. bass — low music
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bass — the fish
  18. swing — to play on
  19. ground — crushed
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. roll — a cake
  23. shower — to wash
  24. rock — music

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