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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. track — to keep track
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. swing — to play on
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. wound — an injury
  10. swing — in golf
  11. track — a song
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. track — a path
  14. swing — music
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. wound — an injury
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. stem — to come from
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. leaves — lets stay

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