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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: shower · jam · suit · rock · calf · leaves · pop · stand

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — in cards
  4. pop — to visit
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. stand — to bear
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. rock — a stone
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. suit — clothes
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. pop — music
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. shower — rain
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. shower — to wash
  19. rock — music
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. pop — soda
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. jam — in traffic

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