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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: bowl · pit · calf · roll · rock · face · shower · bay

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. rock — music
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. face — part of the head
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. roll — a cake
  12. pit — a hole
  13. face — to point toward
  14. shower — rain
  15. rock — a stone
  16. face — to confront
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. roll — a list
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. pit — in a race
  24. bay — a horse colour

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