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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. stand — to bear
  5. root — of a word
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. toast — bread
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. rash — hasty
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rash — a series
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. chest — of your body
  17. root — of a plant
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. chest — of your body
  23. root — the cause
  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