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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. snap — to click
  3. suit — to fit
  4. file — a document
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. cell — in biology
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. rash — a series
  10. rest — what's left
  11. file — a line of people
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. file — a tool
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. suit — in cards
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rest — what's left
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rest — a break
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. suit — clothes

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