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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: cabinet · calf · arm · rash · tube · wake · temple · shower

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. rash — hasty
  13. tube — the underground
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wake — a trail
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rash — a series
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. shower — rain
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. shower — to wash

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