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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. cell — a phone
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. spring — the season
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wake — a trail
  7. object — an aim
  8. spring — of water
  9. cell — in biology
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. branch — a division
  12. spring — a coil
  13. object — to protest
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. deal — to handle
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. object — a thing
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. ruler — a monarch

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