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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. spell — magic
  3. dip — to sink
  4. cell — in biology
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. spell — a short time
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. fine — all right
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. suit — clothes
  11. vault — a safe
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. spell — letters
  14. stem — to come from
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. cell — a phone
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. squash — the sport
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — to fit
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. squash — to crush

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