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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. cell — a phone
  8. march — the month
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. staff — employees
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. march — music
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. march — the month
  17. ground — a position
  18. staff — a stick
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. staff — employees
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. ground — the earth
  24. ground — crushed

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