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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. mug — a cup
  3. chest — a box
  4. spell — a short time
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. chest — of your body
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. lie — to recline
  18. stem — to come from
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mine — for digging
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — magic
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. mug — a face

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