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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. cell — a phone
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. fine — high quality
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. fine — all right
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. dip — to sink
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. cell — in biology
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. kick — in football
  24. leaves — to go away

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