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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. can — to be able to
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. roll — a list
  6. pit — in a race
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — all right
  10. chest — of your body
  11. chest — of your body
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. cell — in biology
  16. pit — a hole
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. ball — a great time
  19. roll — a cake
  20. can — a tin
  21. chest — a box
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. can — a tin
  24. ball — a dance

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