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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. firm — decided
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. firm — steady
  8. snap — to click
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. net — in sport
  13. shower — rain
  14. roll — a list
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. roll — a cake
  17. net — after costs
  18. shower — to wash
  19. net — for catching
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. firm — a company
  24. calf — of the leg

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