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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mug — a face
  4. present — a gift
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. cell — a phone
  9. stem — to come from
  10. vault — a safe
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. mug — a cup
  16. rash — a series
  17. present — there
  18. rash — hasty
  19. present — the time now
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. mug — to rob

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