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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. court — of a king
  5. prune — to trim
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. shower — to wash
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. lie — to recline
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. drill — army training
  15. drill — the tool
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. drill — a practice
  18. court — of law
  19. court — for sport
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. lie — an untruth

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