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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. firm — a company
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. object — an aim
  6. field — for sport
  7. firm — steady
  8. cell — in biology
  9. object — to protest
  10. pass — a permit
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. suit — clothes
  15. firm — decided
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. field — a subject
  18. object — a thing
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. field — farmland
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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