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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
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: plane · suit · lean · cabinet · shower · cap · chair · hide

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. shower — rain
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. shower — to wash
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. lean — to bend
  9. cap — a hat
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. suit — to fit
  14. cap — a lid
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — a tool
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — clothes
  22. lean — thin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. chair — a leader

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