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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 120 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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. rest — what's left
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. bound — tied together
  6. rest — a break
  7. wind — moving air
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. dip — to sink
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. shower — rain
  12. can — to be able to
  13. rest — what's left
  14. can — a tin
  15. mate — a partner
  16. cell — a phone
  17. shower — to wash
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. can — a tin
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mate — to breed
  22. bound — obliged
  23. wind — moving air
  24. bound — certain

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