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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. suit — clothes
  3. band — a music group
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. drill — the tool
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. cell — in biology
  11. bore — to tire
  12. rule — a law
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. stem — to come from
  16. bore — to drill
  17. band — a ring
  18. drill — army training
  19. suit — in cards
  20. drill — a practice
  21. suit — to fit
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. rule — government

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