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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: stand · nail · ball · calf · shower · drill · row · rest

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. drill — a practice
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. shower — rain
  7. shower — to wash
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. row — a line
  10. drill — the tool
  11. row — to paddle
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stand — to bear
  15. rest — what's left
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. rest — what's left
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. rest — a break
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. ball — a great time
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. drill — army training
  24. ball — a dance

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