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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. firm — a company
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. mate — a partner
  6. cell — in biology
  7. firm — steady
  8. scale — size or range
  9. fine — high quality
  10. firm — decided
  11. rock — a stone
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. scale — in music
  15. wound — an injury
  16. rock — music
  17. mate — a friend
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. mate — to breed
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. fine — all right
  23. cell — a phone
  24. wound — an injury

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