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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 116 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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. cell — in biology
  3. cell — a phone
  4. swing — to play on
  5. swing — music
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bear — the animal
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. plane — a tool
  12. press — to push
  13. fall — the season
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. press — newspapers
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. press — a publisher
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. swing — in golf

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