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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. cell — in biology
  4. spell — letters
  5. net — after costs
  6. charge — electricity
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spell — magic
  14. staff — employees
  15. net — for catching
  16. charge — a price
  17. staff — employees
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. net — in sport
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. staff — a stick
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. charge — in control
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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