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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. net — in sport
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. cell — a phone
  6. net — for catching
  7. chest — of your body
  8. chest — a box
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. foot — a measure
  12. net — after costs
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — in control
  15. chest — of your body
  16. charge — a price
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. kick — in football
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. coach — a trainer

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