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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 · chair · jam · shower · rest · bound · march · calf

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bound — tied together
  3. shower — rain
  4. rest — a break
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — obliged
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. chair — a leader
  14. march — music
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. rest — what's left
  18. shower — to wash
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. march — the month
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. march — the month

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