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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. kid — to tease
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. season — in sport
  9. dip — to sink
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. stem — to come from
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. lie — to recline
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. kid — child
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. nail — on a finger

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