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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: kid · present · rush · calf · mouse · band · stick · shower

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. shower — to wash
  4. present — a gift
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. rush — hurry
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. present — the time now
  16. band — a music group
  17. present — there
  18. kid — child
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. band — a ring
  24. kid — to tease

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