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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: calf · staff · shower · leaves · rash · press · cue · arm

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. press — to push
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. staff — employees
  7. press — newspapers
  8. rash — hasty
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. shower — rain
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. cue — for pool
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. press — a publisher
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. staff — a stick
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. shower — to wash
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rash — a series
  23. staff — employees
  24. cue — a signal

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