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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
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: suit · key · shower · present · hide · branch · rash · fork

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — there
  4. branch — a division
  5. present — a gift
  6. suit — clothes
  7. fork — in a road
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. key — the most important part
  10. suit — in cards
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. key — in music
  15. shower — to wash
  16. rash — hasty
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. key — for a lock
  20. shower — rain
  21. rash — a series
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. suit — to fit

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