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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. firm — a company
  3. degree — from a university
  4. prune — to trim
  5. staff — employees
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. degree — temperature
  10. suit — to fit
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. firm — decided
  13. perch — the fish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. cell — in biology
  16. firm — steady
  17. suit — in cards
  18. staff — a stick
  19. degree — an amount
  20. suit — clothes
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. prune — to trim
  24. staff — employees

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