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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.

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 · stand · prune · face · mate · fine · chest · hand

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. hand — in cards
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — to bear
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. face — part of the head
  8. hand — help
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. face — to point toward
  11. mate — a partner
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. face — to confront
  15. fine — high quality
  16. mate — to breed
  17. prune — to trim
  18. chest — of your body
  19. chest — a box
  20. mate — a friend
  21. fine — all right
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. prune — to trim

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