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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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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: pass · calf · root · stick · shower · fall · nail · stand

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. pass — a permit
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. stand — to bear
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. fall — the season
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. root — of a word
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. fall — to drop
  19. root — the cause
  20. shower — rain
  21. shower — to wash
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. root — of a plant
  24. fall — to drop

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