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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. cell — a phone
  3. court — of law
  4. court — of a king
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. rule — government
  11. face — to point toward
  12. cell — in biology
  13. rush — hurry
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. face — to confront
  16. stem — to come from
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rule — a law
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. face — part of the head
  21. court — for sport
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. rule — to rule out

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