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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.

Make a worksheet

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: arm · kid · calf · roll · fan · club · current · leaves

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. current — happening now
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. roll — a list
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. current — electric
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. roll — a cake
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. current — of water
  16. kid — to tease
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. club — a group
  21. club — for dancing
  22. kid — child
  23. calf — a young animal
  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