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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 124 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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. object — a thing
  3. rest — what's left
  4. object — to protest
  5. key — in music
  6. cell — in biology
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. rash — hasty
  10. pitch — completely
  11. key — for a lock
  12. rest — a break
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. object — an aim
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. dip — to sink
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. key — the most important part
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. wake — a trail
  24. cell — a phone

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