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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. hand — help
  5. face — to point toward
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. hand — in cards
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. stand — to bear
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. face — to confront
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. kick — in football
  24. shower — to wash

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