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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
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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: file · suit · shower · spell · dip · bank · wave · calf

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. suit — to fit
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. suit — clothes
  5. file — a document
  6. spell — a short time
  7. spell — letters
  8. shower — rain
  9. file — a line of people
  10. shower — to wash
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. bank — for money
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. bank — of a river
  18. suit — in cards
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — to sink
  21. file — a tool
  22. spell — magic
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. bank — for money

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