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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
468
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: season · arm · mouse · spring · kick · shower · suit · calf

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. spring — a coil
  5. season — in sport
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. spring — of water
  8. suit — clothes
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. suit — in cards
  12. kick — in football
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. shower — rain
  17. season — of the year
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. spring — the season
  21. suit — to fit
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. shower — to wash

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