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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 120 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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. last — finally
  3. last — to go on
  4. last — final
  5. mug — a face
  6. cell — a phone
  7. cell — in biology
  8. net — in sport
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. mug — to rob
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. net — after costs
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. stand — to bear
  15. key — in music
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — the most important part
  18. tube — a container
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. net — for catching
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. tube — the underground

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