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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: tube · arm · calf · tear · staff · march · cell · can

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. march — the month
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. march — the month
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. tube — a container
  8. cell — a phone
  9. cell — in biology
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. can — a tin
  13. tear — from crying
  14. tube — the underground
  15. can — to be able to
  16. tear — to rip
  17. staff — a stick
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. march — music
  21. tear — from crying
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. staff — employees
  24. can — a tin

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