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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: arm · straw · foot · fine · bulb · cap · calf · object

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. fine — all right
  3. foot — a measure
  4. fine — high quality
  5. object — an aim
  6. cap — of ice
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. cap — a hat
  9. object — a thing
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bulb — for light
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. cap — a lid
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. bulb — for light

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