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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 124 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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  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 — a phone
  2. march — music
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. clip — to cut
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. squash — the sport
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. cell — in biology
  10. clip — for paper
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. fork — in a road
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. squash — to crush
  17. march — the month
  18. march — the month
  19. bear — the animal
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bear — the animal
  23. clip — a video
  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