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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. shower — rain
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. march — the month
  9. march — the month
  10. cue — a signal
  11. capital — a city
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cue — a hint
  14. shower — to wash
  15. march — music
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. capital — money
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. cue — for pool
  24. hide — to keep secret

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