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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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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: racket · march · bank · shower · field · ruler · calf · plane

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. march — the month
  13. shower — to wash
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. field — for sport
  16. field — a subject
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. march — the month
  19. bank — for money
  20. march — music
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. field — farmland
  23. plane — a tool
  24. shower — rain

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