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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
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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: rash · lie · fork · suit · drill · shower · hide · patient

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. drill — the tool
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. suit — clothes
  8. lie — to recline
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. drill — army training
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. rash — hasty
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. fork — in a road
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. shower — rain
  20. drill — a practice
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. rash — a series
  24. shower — to wash

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