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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: rush · shower · suit · hide · staff · calf · sharp · ground

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. suit — to fit
  5. staff — a stick
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. ground — the earth
  8. sharp — clever
  9. shower — to wash
  10. staff — employees
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rush — hurry
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. shower — rain
  16. suit — in cards
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. staff — employees
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. ground — crushed
  24. suit — clothes

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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