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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. key — in music
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. stem — to come from
  10. bulb — for light
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. ground — crushed
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. ground — the earth
  18. key — for a lock
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. bulb — for light
  21. ground — a position
  22. dip — to sink
  23. key — the most important part
  24. stem — of a plant

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