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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 · shower · dip · mine · stand · lash · jam · cabinet

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. shower — to wash
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. shower — rain
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. mine — for digging
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. jam — a tight spot

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