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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 120 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: race · calf · foot · key · wake · shower · cue · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. shower — rain
  5. race — a contest
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. cue — a hint
  8. foot — a measure
  9. race — humankind
  10. key — for a lock
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. key — in music
  14. cue — a signal
  15. race — the arms race
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. wake — a trail
  18. key — the most important part
  19. shower — to wash
  20. stand — to bear
  21. cue — for pool
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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