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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
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: shower · spring · lie · swing · row · calf · can · pit

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. swing — in golf
  3. spring — a coil
  4. lie — to recline
  5. can — a tin
  6. swing — to play on
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. spring — the season
  9. shower — to wash
  10. row — a line
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. spring — of water
  13. swing — music
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. can — a tin
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — in a race
  20. shower — rain
  21. pit — a hole
  22. can — to be able to
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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