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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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468
Word bank
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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. cell — a phone
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. cell — in biology
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mate — to breed
  7. branch — a division
  8. kick — in football
  9. mark — a grade
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bear — the animal
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. mate — a friend

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