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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 · ruler · key · band · arm · mate · foot · shower

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. key — the most important part
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. mate — a friend
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. band — a music group
  10. key — for a lock
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. shower — rain
  13. band — a ring
  14. shower — to wash
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. key — in music
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. mate — a partner
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. foot — a measure
  22. mate — to breed
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. band — a rubber band

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