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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. lie — to recline
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. mate — a friend
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. mate — to breed
  22. mate — a partner
  23. foot — a measure
  24. lie — an untruth

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