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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: calf · key · lie · firm · cap · spring · shower · bark

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. firm — steady
  4. spring — a coil
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. firm — a company
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. cap — a lid
  9. spring — the season
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. firm — decided
  16. spring — of water
  17. shower — rain
  18. cap — of ice
  19. cap — a hat
  20. key — in music
  21. shower — to wash
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. key — for a lock
  24. lie — an untruth

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