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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. chair — a leader
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. stock — shares
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. craft — boats
  10. cell — in biology
  11. stock — goods
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. craft — a skill
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. cell — a phone
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. plane — a tool
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. chair — a professorship

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