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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 120 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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. land — a country
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. land — to come down
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. lie — to recline
  13. shower — to wash
  14. suit — to fit
  15. rash — hasty
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. rash — a series
  19. season — of the year
  20. suit — in cards
  21. shower — rain
  22. suit — clothes
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. land — ground

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