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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. key — in music
  3. cell — in biology
  4. key — the most important part
  5. cell — a phone
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. deal — to handle
  9. mug — to rob
  10. chest — of your body
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. chest — of your body
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. season — of the year
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. stem — to come from
  18. key — for a lock
  19. chest — a box
  20. mug — a face
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. mug — a cup
  23. season — in sport
  24. stem — a stem cell

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