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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. cap — of ice
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. can — a tin
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. track — a path
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. can — a tin
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. can — to be able to
  11. bore — to drill
  12. cell — in biology
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bore — to tire
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. cap — a hat
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. track — a song
  21. track — to keep track
  22. foot — a measure
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. foot — the bottom

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