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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
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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: foot · shower · saw · patient · mouse · net · hide · suit

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. net — after costs
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. net — for catching
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. suit — to fit
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. saw — the tool
  14. net — in sport
  15. shower — to wash
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. suit — clothes
  18. shower — rain
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. suit — in cards
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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