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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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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: straw · shower · calf · key · lash · pass · object · cap

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. key — the most important part
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. key — in music
  6. shower — to wash
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. object — a thing
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. pass — a permit
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. object — an aim
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cap — a lid
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. key — for a lock
  21. object — to protest
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. cap — a hat
  24. shower — rain

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