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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. cap — a hat
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. shower — to wash
  12. cap — of ice
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pitch — completely
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cap — a lid
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. calf — of the leg

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