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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. suit — clothes
  4. mug — a cup
  5. cell — in biology
  6. mug — to rob
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. suit — in cards
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. cell — a phone
  11. suit — to fit
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. toast — bread
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. drill — army training
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. drill — a practice
  19. fork — in a road
  20. stem — to come from
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. mug — a face
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. drill — the tool

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