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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. pit — in a race
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. mug — a face
  6. court — of a king
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. pit — a hole
  9. mug — to rob
  10. cell — a phone
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. court — of law
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. cell — in biology
  16. rush — hurry
  17. court — for sport
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. stem — to come from
  23. deal — to handle
  24. hide — to keep secret

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