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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.

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: net · bulb · shower · calf · fine · stick · race · rash

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. net — in sport
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. shower — rain
  7. net — for catching
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. bulb — for light
  11. race — the arms race
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. race — a contest
  15. net — after costs
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — all right
  19. rash — hasty
  20. race — humankind
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. shower — to wash
  23. rash — a series
  24. bulb — for light

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