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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. cell — in biology
  3. mug — to rob
  4. row — a line
  5. rest — what's left
  6. mug — a face
  7. club — for dancing
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — to be able to
  11. row — to paddle
  12. club — for golf
  13. mug — a cup
  14. rest — a break
  15. rest — what's left
  16. can — a tin
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. club — a group

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