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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: roll · rule · pitch · shower · dip · nail · calf · key

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. shower — to wash
  3. rule — government
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. roll — a list
  6. shower — rain
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. key — in music
  10. key — the most important part
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rule — a law
  14. key — for a lock
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pitch — completely
  21. roll — a cake
  22. dip — to sink
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — on a finger

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