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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: leaves · pass · calf · can · court · mug · wound · shower

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. can — to be able to
  4. wound — an injury
  5. pass — a permit
  6. can — a tin
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. court — of a king
  10. court — of law
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. can — a tin
  14. court — for sport
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. mug — a cup
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. wound — an injury
  20. mug — a face
  21. shower — to wash
  22. mug — to rob
  23. shower — rain
  24. calf — of the leg

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