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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. rest — a break
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. rest — what's left
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. current — of water
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. current — electric
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. deal — to handle
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. current — happening now
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. rest — what's left
  22. cell — a phone
  23. ball — a dance
  24. deal — a big deal

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