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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 was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. cell — a phone
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bear — the animal
  7. fine — high quality
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. cell — in biology
  10. bore — to drill
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. cap — a hat
  17. bear — the animal
  18. date — the fruit
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cap — a lid
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. stand — to bear
  23. cap — of ice
  24. fine — all right

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