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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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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 · stick · calf · cue · rash · file · wake · last

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. last — finally
  4. rash — hasty
  5. last — final
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. rash — a series
  9. file — a document
  10. last — to go on
  11. cue — for pool
  12. wake — a trail
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. file — a line of people
  17. cue — a hint
  18. file — a tool
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. cue — a signal
  24. rash — on the skin

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