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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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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: squash · bulb · rush · calf · season · wave · hide · arm

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. squash — the sport
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. bulb — for light
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. rush — hurry
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. squash — to crush
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. season — of the year
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bulb — for light
  23. season — in sport
  24. arm — a part of something

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