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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. foot — a measure
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pit — in a race
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. drill — the tool
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. kick — in football
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. drill — a practice
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pit — a hole
  20. net — for catching
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. drill — army training
  23. net — in sport
  24. net — after costs

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