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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: craft · arm · degree · shower · lash · charge · nail · calf

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. shower — rain
  3. charge — in control
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. degree — temperature
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a skill
  15. charge — a price
  16. degree — from a university
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. degree — an amount
  19. shower — to wash
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. charge — electricity
  24. arm — part of the body

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