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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. stem — to come from
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. pass — a permit
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. press — to push
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. press — newspapers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. chest — of your body
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. chest — a box
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. press — a publisher

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