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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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 — to rob
  4. cell — in biology
  5. mate — a partner
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. fall — to drop
  9. stand — to bear
  10. lean — to bend
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. fall — to drop
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cue — a signal
  15. mate — a friend
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mug — a cup
  19. band — a ring
  20. cue — a hint
  21. band — a music group
  22. fall — the season
  23. mug — a face
  24. stand — for spectators

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