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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.

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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: cue · firm · craft · tube · shower · ball · rush · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. tube — the underground
  3. shower — rain
  4. cue — a signal
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. firm — decided
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. tube — a container
  9. cue — for pool
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a great time
  13. craft — boats
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. shower — to wash
  16. firm — a company
  17. craft — a skill
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. firm — steady
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. cue — a hint

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