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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. object — an aim
  3. cell — a phone
  4. prune — to trim
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rest — a break
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pit — a hole
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — to drop
  14. shower — to wash
  15. object — a thing
  16. prune — to trim
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. shower — rain
  20. object — to protest
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. saw — the tool
  23. pit — in a race
  24. fall — the season

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