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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: hide · straw · shower · suit · chip · craft · mine · lean

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. lean — thin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. suit — in cards
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. lean — to bend
  8. chip — to eat
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — boats
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. mine — for digging
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. chip — for betting
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. craft — a skill
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. suit — clothes
  21. shower — to wash
  22. shower — rain
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. suit — to fit

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