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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bore — to tire
  6. clip — to cut
  7. rush — hurry
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. current — of water
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. clip — a video
  13. pitch — completely
  14. cell — in biology
  15. current — happening now
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. clip — for paper
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. mug — a face
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. current — electric
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. bore — to drill

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