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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.

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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. board — to get on
  3. can — to be able to
  4. cell — in biology
  5. cue — a hint
  6. rest — what's left
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. firm — decided
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. rest — what's left
  11. can — a tin
  12. lean — thin
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. firm — steady
  15. lean — to bend
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. rest — a break
  18. board — a committee
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. firm — a company
  21. cue — for pool
  22. plane — a tool
  23. cue — a signal
  24. can — a tin

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