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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 felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. file — a tool
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. chest — of your body
  5. mug — a cup
  6. toast — bread
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. file — a line of people
  11. chest — a box
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. file — a document
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pitch — completely
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a face

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