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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 116 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: rock · fan · leaves · hide · row · suit · mouse · wind

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. suit — in cards
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. wind — moving air
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. row — to paddle
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — to fit
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. row — a line
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rock — a stone
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rock — music
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. wind — moving air
  24. fan — a supporter

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