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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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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: snap · pound · racket · stand · bowl · spring · shower · calf

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. shower — to wash
  5. spring — a coil
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. shower — rain
  11. spring — the season
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pound — a weight
  22. stand — to bear
  23. snap — to click
  24. stand — on your feet

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