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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. rash — a series
  3. can — a tin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hand — in cards
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. cell — in biology
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. rash — hasty
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. can — a tin
  14. degree — temperature
  15. can — to be able to
  16. hand — help
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. degree — from a university
  21. degree — an amount
  22. cell — a phone
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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