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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. present — a gift
  3. wound — an injury
  4. present — the time now
  5. spell — magic
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. mate — a friend
  8. charge — electricity
  9. prune — to trim
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mug — a cup
  12. wound — an injury
  13. mug — a face
  14. spell — a short time
  15. charge — in control
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. present — there
  19. cell — a phone
  20. mug — to rob
  21. spell — letters
  22. mate — a partner
  23. charge — a price
  24. prune — to trim

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