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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. stand — to bear
  3. spring — a coil
  4. chest — a box
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. spring — of water
  7. chest — of your body
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. suit — clothes
  10. season — of the year
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. root — the cause
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. suit — in cards
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. spring — the season
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. chest — of your body
  22. season — in sport
  23. root — of a plant
  24. suit — to fit

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