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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. pitch — completely
  3. shower — rain
  4. object — a thing
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. suit — in cards
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. suit — clothes
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. shower — to wash
  13. mine — for digging
  14. fall — to drop
  15. object — to protest
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. fall — the season
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. object — an aim
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. suit — to fit
  23. fall — to drop
  24. pitch — a sports field

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