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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: calf · kick · board · spell · saw · shower · rash · stick

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. spell — magic
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. spell — a short time
  6. board — a committee
  7. spell — letters
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. kick — in football
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. shower — rain
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rash — a series
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. shower — to wash
  18. saw — the tool
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. board — to get on
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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