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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 116 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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. branch — a division
  9. drill — army training
  10. shower — to wash
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. drill — the tool
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. fork — in a road
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. drill — a practice
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. calf — a young animal

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