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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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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: kick · lean · cabinet · hide · toast · court · stem · suit

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. court — for sport
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. toast — bread
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. suit — in cards
  9. lean — thin
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. suit — to fit
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. kick — in football
  17. court — of a king
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. court — of law
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. suit — clothes
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. lean — to bend

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