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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: hand · row · calf · bay · rest · fan · shower · suit

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. row — to paddle
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. shower — rain
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. rest — a break
  11. rest — what's left
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. hand — help
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — in cards
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. rest — what's left
  19. shower — to wash
  20. hand — in cards
  21. suit — to fit
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. row — a line
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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