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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 116 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. can — a tin
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. track — to keep track
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. track — a song
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. shower — rain
  13. shower — to wash
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. stem — to come from
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. track — a path
  23. cell — in biology
  24. deal — to handle

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