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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. chest — of your body
  4. cap — of ice
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. saw — the tool
  8. cue — a hint
  9. pit — a hole
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. craft — a skill
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. cap — a hat
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. craft — boats
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cap — a lid
  21. saw — the tool
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. cue — for pool
  24. chest — of your body

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