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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. prune — to trim
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. chest — of your body
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. can — a tin
  8. cue — a hint
  9. can — to be able to
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. cue — for pool
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. chest — of your body
  14. stem — to come from
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. cue — a signal
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. can — a tin
  24. prune — to trim

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