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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: lean · firm · fan · mark · pit · shower · rule · hide

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. mark — a trace
  5. firm — a company
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. firm — decided
  8. rule — a law
  9. shower — to wash
  10. rule — government
  11. lean — thin
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. pit — a hole
  14. mark — a grade
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pit — in a race
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. lean — to bend
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. firm — steady

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