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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. sharp — clever
  3. cell — in biology
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — a tool
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. cell — a phone
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. perch — the fish
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. racket — a loud noise

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