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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. scale — in music
  4. pit — in a race
  5. ball — a dance
  6. scale — size or range
  7. chip — for betting
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. cell — a phone
  10. saw — the tool
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a great time
  14. pit — a hole
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. wind — moving air
  18. chip — to eat
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. saw — the tool
  24. wind — moving air

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