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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. bound — certain
  3. net — in sport
  4. suit — clothes
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. file — a line of people
  8. bound — obliged
  9. cell — in biology
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. net — for catching
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. file — a tool
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. bound — tied together
  17. net — after costs
  18. suit — in cards
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. file — a document
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. suit — to fit
  23. cell — a phone
  24. racket — a loud noise

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