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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 120 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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. chest — of your body
  4. stem — to come from
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. current — of water
  8. mug — a cup
  9. current — happening now
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. mug — a face
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. chest — a box
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. bank — for money
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. current — electric
  18. deal — to handle
  19. bank — of a river
  20. chest — of your body
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. mug — to rob
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wave — of the sea

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