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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.

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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: rule · shower · dip · stand · bulb · kid · rock · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. kid — to tease
  3. rule — government
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. dip — to sink
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. rock — music
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rule — a law
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. shower — rain
  18. kid — child
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. stand — to bear
  21. rock — a stone
  22. shower — to wash
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. bulb — of a plant

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