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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.

Make a worksheet

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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. spring — a coil
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — to sink
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. kick — in football
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. spring — the season
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. shower — to wash
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. suit — in cards
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. suit — to fit
  19. shower — rain
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. suit — clothes

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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