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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fall · press · racket · bulb · calf · pass · shower · plane

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  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. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. plane — a tool
  5. fall — to drop
  6. press — to push
  7. fall — the season
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. shower — to wash
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pass — a permit
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. press — newspapers
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. shower — rain
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. fall — to drop
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. press — a publisher
  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