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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: jam · wound · calf · arm · cap · pass · lean · root

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. root — of a plant
  12. wound — an injury
  13. cap — a hat
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. wound — an injury
  18. cap — a lid
  19. lean — to bend
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. pass — a permit
  22. cap — of ice
  23. root — of a word
  24. root — the cause

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