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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: fall · kick · bound · spell · dip · calf · season · shower

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  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. spell — a short time
  2. dip — to sink
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — the season
  6. shower — to wash
  7. bound — certain
  8. season — of the year
  9. bound — obliged
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — magic
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. kick — in football
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bound — tied together
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. fall — to drop
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. season — in sport
  23. kick — with a leg
  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