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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: cabinet · shower · lie · hide · lash · coach · firm · nail

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. lie — to recline
  8. shower — rain
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. firm — steady
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. shower — to wash
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — decided
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. nail — for a hammer

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