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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: saw · firm · suit · tear · wake · shower · calf · mate

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. saw — the tool
  3. suit — in cards
  4. firm — steady
  5. mate — a partner
  6. tear — to rip
  7. firm — a company
  8. suit — clothes
  9. mate — a friend
  10. shower — rain
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. tear — from crying
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — a trail
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. suit — to fit
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mate — to breed
  23. tear — from crying
  24. shower — to wash

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