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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: content · calf · can · firm · lash · pitcher · shower · chair

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. shower — rain
  3. firm — steady
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. firm — a company
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. shower — to wash
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. can — to be able to
  10. firm — decided
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. content — happy
  21. content — the amount
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. chair — a leader

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