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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: calf · sharp · cap · spell · dip · wave · shower · perch

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. cap — a lid
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. cap — of ice
  10. spell — letters
  11. dip — to sink
  12. spell — a short time
  13. cap — a hat
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. shower — rain
  18. sharp — clever
  19. spell — magic
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. shower — to wash

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