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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: patient · fine · shower · kick · pound · hide

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. fine — high quality
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. shower — rain
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. shower — to wash
  12. kick — in football
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — all right
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pound — to hit hard

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