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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 116 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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. perch — the fish
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. stem — to come from
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. field — farmland
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. vault — a safe
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. field — for sport
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — a hole
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. field — a subject
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. pit — in a race

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