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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.

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: track · wake · shower · fan · lash · calf · mine · bay

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. mine — for digging
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. track — to keep track
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. shower — rain
  15. wake — a trail
  16. shower — to wash
  17. track — a song
  18. track — a path
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. mine — an explosive

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