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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. prune — to trim
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. cell — in biology
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. fall — to drop
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — a tool
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. prune — to trim
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. fall — to drop
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. fall — the season

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