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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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468
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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. stem — to come from
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. fork — in a road
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. dip — to sink
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pound — a weight
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. fork — a garden tool

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