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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 120 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
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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: calf · stand · arm · band · bore · lash · bat · cabinet

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  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. cabinet — ministers
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bat — the animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. band — a ring
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. band — a music group
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. bore — to drill
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bore — to tire
  21. stand — to bear
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  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