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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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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: wound · deal · kick · bay · hide · cap · safe · shower

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. cap — a lid
  3. kick — in football
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. shower — rain
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. deal — to handle
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. cap — of ice
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. wound — an injury
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. shower — to wash
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cap — a hat

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