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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: suit · stick · mouse · calf · bowl · lash · shower · mine

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. shower — to wash
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. shower — rain
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. suit — in cards
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. suit — clothes
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. suit — to fit

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