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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 116 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: board · drill · bay · leaves · shower · mate · calf · bulb

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. mate — a friend
  4. bulb — for light
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bulb — for light
  11. drill — the tool
  12. mate — a partner
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. drill — a practice
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. shower — rain
  20. drill — army training
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a committee

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