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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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. wave — a sudden rise
  4. cell — in biology
  5. cap — a lid
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — in golf
  8. scale — size or range
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. cap — of ice
  11. kick — in football
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. scale — in music
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. cap — a hat
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. swing — music
  24. wave — of the sea

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