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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: stem · mouse · chest · season · dip · current · hide · stand

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. dip — to sink
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. stand — to bear
  5. season — of the year
  6. chest — of your body
  7. chest — a box
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. season — in sport
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — of water
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. current — electric
  22. stem — to come from
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. dip — to dunk

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