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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 · bulb · arm · straw · foot · rash · press · shower

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. rash — a series
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. press — to push
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. press — a publisher
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. shower — rain
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. shower — to wash
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. press — newspapers
  20. foot — a measure
  21. rash — hasty
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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