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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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Word bank
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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. cell — a phone
  3. mate — to breed
  4. rule — government
  5. suit — clothes
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. suit — in cards
  8. content — the amount
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. spell — letters
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. cell — in biology
  13. mate — a partner
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. spell — magic
  16. pit — a hole
  17. spell — a short time
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. rule — a law
  20. content — happy
  21. suit — to fit
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. mate — a friend
  24. content — videos and posts

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