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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. kick — in football
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fall — the season
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rest — a break
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. bear — the animal
  14. rest — what's left
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. fall — to drop
  18. toast — bread
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. stem — to come from
  22. rest — what's left
  23. fall — to drop
  24. kick — a thrill

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