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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — rain
  4. wound — an injury
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rest — what's left
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. wound — an injury
  9. rest — what's left
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — for money
  13. cue — a signal
  14. rest — a break
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. cold — not warm
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cue — for pool
  19. shower — to wash
  20. bank — of a river
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. cold — an illness
  24. cue — a hint

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