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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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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 · lie · kick · shower · mark · coach · firm · calf

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. firm — steady
  5. kick — in football
  6. firm — a company
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. shower — to wash
  11. mark — a trace
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. firm — decided
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. lie — to recline
  20. mark — a grade
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. shower — rain
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. kick — with a leg

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