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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. court — of law
  3. bank — for money
  4. firm — steady
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cell — in biology
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bank — of a river
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bank — for money
  12. firm — a company
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. plane — a tool
  18. kid — to tease
  19. firm — decided
  20. court — of a king
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. court — for sport
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. kid — child

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