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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 have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. rash — hasty
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. content — the amount
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. shower — rain
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. mark — a trace
  16. rash — a series
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. pit — a hole
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. shower — to wash
  23. content — happy
  24. pit — in a race

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