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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 116 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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. root — the cause
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pop — soda
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. shower — to wash
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. shower — rain
  11. root — of a word
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. pop — to visit
  16. root — of a plant
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. pop — music
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. plane — a tool
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. kick — in football
  24. branch — a division

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