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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: can · calf · band · board · rush · net · saw · shower

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. net — after costs
  4. saw — the tool
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. can — a tin
  7. shower — rain
  8. net — for catching
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. shower — to wash
  11. can — to be able to
  12. board — to get on
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. board — a committee
  17. can — a tin
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. band — a ring
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. saw — the tool
  22. band — a music group
  23. net — in sport
  24. rush — hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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