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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
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: calf · stick · rash · land · cabinet · arm · coach · pop

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. land — to come down
  10. pop — soda
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. land — ground
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rash — hasty
  18. pop — music
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. land — a country
  22. pop — to visit
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. coach — a trainer

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