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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.

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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: arm · cap · calf · safe · chip · tear · bass · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. chip — for betting
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. cap — of ice
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. tear — from crying
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bass — low music
  12. bass — the fish
  13. cap — a lid
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. chip — to eat
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. suit — clothes
  18. tear — to rip
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. suit — in cards
  23. cap — a hat
  24. tear — from crying

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