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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.

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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 · leaves · firm · arm · dip · lean · game · squash

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. squash — to crush
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. lean — to bend
  9. squash — the sport
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. dip — to sink
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. game — a match
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. lean — thin
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. firm — decided
  22. game — wild animals
  23. firm — a company
  24. dip — a sauce

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