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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
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: kid · pitch · cabinet · staff · wound · shower · leaves · suit

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. pitch — completely
  3. suit — clothes
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. kid — child
  6. wound — an injury
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — a stick
  9. suit — to fit
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. shower — to wash
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. suit — in cards
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. kid — to tease
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. staff — employees
  24. wound — an injury

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