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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cell — a phone
  3. net — for catching
  4. hand — help
  5. suit — to fit
  6. sharp — clever
  7. charge — electricity
  8. cell — in biology
  9. charge — a price
  10. suit — clothes
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. hand — in cards
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bear — the animal
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. net — in sport
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. charge — in control
  22. net — after costs
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. suit — in cards

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