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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 120 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 · fan · arm · cabinet · calf · cap · swing · bulb

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. swing — to play on
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cap — of ice
  10. tube — the underground
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bulb — for light
  14. swing — music
  15. swing — in golf
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. cap — a lid
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. tube — a container
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. bulb — for light

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