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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 120 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: mate · degree · shower · calf · stand · root · suit · kick

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. mate — to breed
  4. mate — a partner
  5. kick — in football
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. degree — temperature
  10. root — of a plant
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. shower — rain
  13. degree — an amount
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. root — the cause
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. mate — a friend
  18. suit — clothes
  19. degree — from a university
  20. root — of a word
  21. stand — to bear
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. shower — to wash
  24. calf — of the leg

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