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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: bowl · shower · field · band · bay · leaves · hide · charge

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. field — farmland
  5. band — a ring
  6. charge — in control
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. charge — a price
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. shower — to wash
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. band — a music group
  18. charge — electricity
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. shower — rain
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. field — for sport
  24. field — a subject

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