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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. staff — employees
  6. branch — a division
  7. staff — employees
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. field — a subject
  10. lie — to recline
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. field — farmland
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. field — for sport
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. stand — to bear
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. branch — of a tree

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