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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 116 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. kid — to tease
  5. stock — shares
  6. saw — the tool
  7. cell — in biology
  8. pound — a weight
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. prune — to trim
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. prune — to trim
  15. board — a committee
  16. stock — goods
  17. kid — child
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. board — to get on
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. pound — for dogs

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