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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. cell — a phone
  3. scale — in music
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. bulb — for light
  6. wound — an injury
  7. ground — a position
  8. ground — crushed
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bulb — for light
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cap — of ice
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. scale — size or range
  19. ground — the earth
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. cell — in biology
  24. cap — a hat

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