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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: wound · rock · can · root · shower · bay · calf · board

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rock — a stone
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. wound — an injury
  6. root — of a plant
  7. board — to get on
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. wound — an injury
  10. rock — music
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — a tin
  13. shower — rain
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. root — of a word
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. shower — to wash
  20. board — a committee
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. root — the cause
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. rock — to move gently

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