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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: hide · sharp · present · suit · shower · foot · lie · bark

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. present — there
  3. suit — clothes
  4. present — a gift
  5. shower — to wash
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. shower — rain
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. foot — a measure
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. present — the time now
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. sharp — clever
  19. bark — to shout
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. lie — to recline
  24. foot — the bottom

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