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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 get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. club — for golf
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. club — for dancing
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. kick — in football
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. fall — the season
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. club — a group
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. fall — to drop
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. stem — to come from
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. pass — a permit

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