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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — of your body
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. spell — a short time
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. chest — a box
  13. stem — to come from
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. spell — magic
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — the fish
  22. foot — a measure
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. spell — letters

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