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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: date · rush · bear · mouse · lash · shower · calf · arm

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. date — the fruit
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. shower — to wash
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. shower — rain
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. rush — hurry
  24. calf — a young animal

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