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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mate — to breed
  6. mate — a friend
  7. firm — steady
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. suit — in cards
  10. mug — a face
  11. suit — clothes
  12. cell — in biology
  13. drill — army training
  14. firm — decided
  15. suit — to fit
  16. firm — a company
  17. mark — a trace
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — to grow
  20. drill — the tool
  21. drill — a practice
  22. mark — a grade
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. wax — for sculpting

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