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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: calf · object · bulb · arm · kick · rest · mate · jam

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. rest — what's left
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rest — what's left
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. object — an aim
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. mate — a partner
  10. rest — a break
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. object — to protest
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — for light
  20. object — a thing
  21. kick — in football
  22. mate — a friend
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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