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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hide · staff · dip · bear · clip · net · stem · mouse

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. dip — to sink
  3. clip — a video
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. staff — employees
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. staff — a stick
  9. clip — for paper
  10. staff — employees
  11. net — for catching
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. stem — to come from
  20. net — in sport
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. net — after costs
  24. clip — to cut

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