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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. suit — to fit
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. suit — clothes
  6. ball — a great time
  7. rule — a law
  8. suit — in cards
  9. rule — government
  10. cell — a phone
  11. branch — a division
  12. ball — a dance
  13. cell — in biology
  14. lie — to recline
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. mark — a grade
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a trace
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. branch — of a tree

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