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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 116 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
468
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: shower · bass · pop · suit · ruler · calf · row · pit

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. suit — to fit
  3. row — a line
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. suit — clothes
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. shower — to wash
  8. bass — low music
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pop — to visit
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. shower — rain
  14. pop — music
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pop — soda
  24. bass — the fish

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