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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. date — the fruit
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. saw — the tool
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. kick — in football
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. saw — the tool
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — to fit
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. suit — in cards
  21. cell — a phone
  22. branch — a division
  23. plane — a tool
  24. branch — of a tree

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