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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.

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: hide · shower · calf · mug · chip · mouse · nail · file

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. chip — to eat
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mug — a face
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. file — a line of people
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. shower — to wash
  14. file — a document
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. file — a tool
  17. mug — a cup
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. shower — rain
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mug — to rob
  23. chip — for betting
  24. nail — for a hammer

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