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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 · squash · lean · march · nail · temple · calf · coach

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. march — the month
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. march — music
  5. march — the month
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. lean — to bend
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. squash — to crush
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. lean — thin
  17. squash — the sport
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. arm — part of the body

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