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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.

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: arm · stem · charge · march · calf · rock · tube · can

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. charge — a price
  3. tube — a container
  4. can — a tin
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. rock — music
  7. stem — to come from
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. tube — the underground
  14. charge — in control
  15. rock — a stone
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. can — a tin
  19. march — the month
  20. charge — electricity
  21. can — to be able to
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. march — music
  24. march — the month

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