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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. hand — help
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — a company
  6. staff — employees
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. bear — the animal
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bear — the animal
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. hand — in cards
  18. rush — hurry
  19. cell — a phone
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — a stick
  22. firm — steady
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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