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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: stand · suit · bass · calf · row · shower · fan · bowl

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. bass — low music
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. shower — rain
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — to bear
  8. row — a line
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bass — the fish
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. row — to paddle
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. shower — to wash
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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