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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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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: can · pop · calf · plane · shower · bank · current · lash

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. pop — soda
  5. current — of water
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — for money
  12. current — happening now
  13. pop — to visit
  14. can — a tin
  15. shower — to wash
  16. bank — of a river
  17. current — electric
  18. shower — rain
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. can — to be able to
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. can — a tin
  24. plane — a tool

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