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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. chest — of your body
  3. toast — bread
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. chest — a box
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wax — to grow
  9. lean — thin
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. stem — to come from
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. chest — of your body
  24. lean — to bend

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