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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. can — a tin
  3. shower — to wash
  4. mark — a grade
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. can — a tin
  7. mark — a trace
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. shower — rain
  19. date — the fruit
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. can — to be able to
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. perch — the fish
  24. temple — a place of worship

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