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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. cell — in biology
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. fine — all right
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. wind — moving air
  7. cap — a hat
  8. net — for catching
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bank — of a river
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — of ice
  14. plane — a tool
  15. net — in sport
  16. net — after costs
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wind — moving air
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. fine — high quality
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. fine — a penalty

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