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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: hand · stem · shower · rock · present · nail · calf · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. hand — help
  4. shower — to wash
  5. present — a gift
  6. present — there
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. stand — to bear
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rock — a stone
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stem — to come from
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. present — the time now
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. shower — rain
  23. hand — in cards
  24. rock — music

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