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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. suit — clothes
  8. shower — to wash
  9. pit — a hole
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. lean — thin
  16. shower — rain
  17. pit — in a race
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. lie — to recline
  21. lean — to bend
  22. suit — to fit
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. hide — to keep secret

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