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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. sharp — clever
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. staff — a stick
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. staff — employees
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. staff — employees
  13. roll — a cake
  14. shower — rain
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. shower — to wash
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. roll — a list
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. hide — animal skin

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