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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. prune — to trim
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. track — a song
  8. prune — to trim
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stem — to come from
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. track — to keep track
  23. track — a path
  24. temple — a place of worship

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