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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. staff — employees
  4. stem — to come from
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. band — a ring
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. foot — a measure
  12. band — a music group
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — army training
  15. staff — a stick
  16. drill — a practice
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. staff — employees
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. foot — the bottom

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