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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. spring — of water
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. pop — to visit
  5. spring — a coil
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. firm — steady
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — a company
  13. spring — the season
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. pop — soda
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. pop — music
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. foot — a measure
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. cabinet — ministers

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