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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 took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. staff — a stick
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. fall — to drop
  7. shower — to wash
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. fall — the season
  12. drill — the tool
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fall — to drop
  15. drill — a practice
  16. staff — employees
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. staff — employees
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. foot — a measure
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. drill — army training

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