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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.

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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 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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. row — to paddle
  5. cell — in biology
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. face — to point toward
  8. suit — clothes
  9. face — part of the head
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. row — a line
  14. face — to confront
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. suit — in cards
  18. patient — a sick person

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