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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 116 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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. fall — to drop
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. content — the amount
  6. stem — to come from
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — hurry
  10. content — happy
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. pit — in a race
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. fall — to drop
  16. pit — a hole
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. fall — the season
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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