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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 116 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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. cell — in biology
  3. cue — a hint
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. tube — a container
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. court — of a king
  9. rush — hurry
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. branch — a division
  15. stand — to bear
  16. court — of law
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. tube — the underground
  19. court — for sport
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cue — a signal

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