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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 · bear · leaves · chip · patient · row · fine · shower

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. chip — to eat
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. fine — all right
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bear — the animal
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. row — a line
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. shower — to wash
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. shower — rain
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. chip — for betting
  21. bear — the animal
  22. row — to paddle
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bear — to put up with

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