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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.

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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: shower · hand · calf · cue · pass · straw · fine · rash

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. hand — help
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. cue — a signal
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. cue — for pool
  11. rash — a series
  12. shower — to wash
  13. fine — high quality
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. cue — a hint
  17. rash — hasty
  18. pass — a permit
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. hand — in cards
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. shower — rain
  23. fine — all right
  24. rash — on the skin

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