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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. file — a line of people
  3. suit — to fit
  4. mate — a friend
  5. mate — a partner
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. board — to get on
  11. suit — clothes
  12. file — a document
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. file — a tool
  16. shower — to wash
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. suit — in cards
  20. shower — rain
  21. board — a committee
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mouse — for a computer

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