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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 120 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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. sharp — clever
  3. staff — employees
  4. mug — a cup
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. mark — a trace
  9. cell — in biology
  10. cap — of ice
  11. wound — an injury
  12. staff — employees
  13. cap — a lid
  14. mug — a face
  15. staff — a stick
  16. charge — a price
  17. charge — in control
  18. cell — a phone
  19. charge — electricity
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. wound — an injury
  22. cap — a hat
  23. mark — a grade
  24. mug — to rob

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