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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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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: suit · dip · bay · kid · shower · nail · fall · cap

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. shower — rain
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. shower — to wash
  5. fall — to drop
  6. dip — to sink
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. suit — in cards
  10. cap — of ice
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. cap — a lid
  15. kid — to tease
  16. fall — the season
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. kid — child
  20. fall — to drop
  21. suit — to fit
  22. cap — a hat
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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