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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. stem — to come from
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. net — in sport
  9. shower — to wash
  10. net — after costs
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. net — for catching
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. shower — rain
  24. calf — a young animal

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