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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. bulb — for light
  4. shower — rain
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stand — to bear
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. branch — a division
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. pit — in a race
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. shower — to wash
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. hide — to keep secret

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