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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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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: bulb · bay · club · kick · jam · shower · calf · press

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. club — a group
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. club — for golf
  6. club — for dancing
  7. press — a publisher
  8. press — newspapers
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. shower — rain
  14. shower — to wash
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. bulb — for light
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. press — to push
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. kick — in football
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bulb — for light
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. calf — a young animal

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