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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  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 — a meteor shower
  2. shower — rain
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. wake — a trail
  5. suit — clothes
  6. rule — a law
  7. object — a thing
  8. stem — to come from
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. suit — to fit
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. row — to paddle
  15. suit — in cards
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. row — a line
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. object — an aim
  21. rule — government
  22. object — to protest
  23. wake — before a funeral
  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