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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. cell — in biology
  3. cell — a phone
  4. face — to point toward
  5. suit — clothes
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. object — to protest
  8. suit — to fit
  9. face — part of the head
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. can — a tin
  12. ball — a great time
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. face — to confront
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. suit — in cards
  17. ball — a dance
  18. can — to be able to
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. object — a thing
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bass — the instrument
  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