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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — there
  4. scale — size or range
  5. dip — to sink
  6. current — happening now
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. wound — an injury
  10. cell — a phone
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. wound — an injury
  15. squash — to crush
  16. season — of the year
  17. current — of water
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. season — in sport
  20. current — electric
  21. scale — in music
  22. present — a gift
  23. squash — the sport
  24. dip — a sauce

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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