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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. firm — decided
  3. press — newspapers
  4. object — to protest
  5. cell — a phone
  6. bore — to tire
  7. stem — to come from
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. club — for dancing
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. firm — steady
  14. club — for golf
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. press — to push
  17. object — an aim
  18. press — a publisher
  19. firm — a company
  20. cell — in biology
  21. object — a thing
  22. club — a group
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. stem — of a plant

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