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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: wind · cabinet · shower · hide · current · rock

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. current — happening now
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. shower — rain
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. shower — to wash
  8. rock — a stone
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. wind — moving air
  11. current — electric
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — music
  17. current — of water
  18. hide — animal skin

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