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

Word bank: deal · hide · lie · kick · cabinet · stem · charge · pit

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. pit — a hole
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. charge — electricity
  9. stem — to come from
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pit — in a race
  12. charge — in control
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. deal — to handle
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. lie — to recline
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. kick — in football
  20. charge — a price
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. stem — of a plant

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