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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. wind — moving air
  4. mug — a cup
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. cell — a phone
  7. bass — low music
  8. mug — to rob
  9. net — in sport
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. wind — moving air
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. spring — the season
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. spring — of water
  18. net — for catching
  19. net — after costs
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. bass — the fish
  22. mug — a face
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. spring — a coil

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