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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. lie — to recline
  3. cell — in biology
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. vault — a safe
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. fine — all right
  9. net — for catching
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. bear — the animal
  13. press — to push
  14. cell — a phone
  15. net — in sport
  16. press — newspapers
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. fine — high quality
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. net — after costs
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bear — the animal
  23. stem — to come from
  24. fine — a penalty

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