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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: wake · land · mark · calf · rock · sharp · suit · shower

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. land — a country
  3. suit — clothes
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. sharp — clever
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. shower — to wash
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — music
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. shower — rain
  16. suit — to fit
  17. land — ground
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. suit — in cards
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. land — to come down

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