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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 · arm · rash · object · press · scale · suit · sharp

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. press — to push
  3. press — a publisher
  4. suit — in cards
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rash — a series
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. scale — size or range
  10. suit — to fit
  11. scale — in music
  12. object — a thing
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. press — newspapers
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. object — to protest
  19. rash — hasty
  20. suit — clothes
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. sharp — clever
  24. sharp — exactly

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