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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: toast · arm · net · club · pop · ruler · calf · cold

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. club — a group
  6. net — after costs
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. toast — bread
  14. pop — to visit
  15. club — for golf
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. cold — an illness
  19. net — in sport
  20. cold — not warm
  21. club — for dancing
  22. net — for catching
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — music

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