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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. fine — all right
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. cell — in biology
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. rash — a series
  11. fine — high quality
  12. face — to confront
  13. stem — to come from
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. face — to point toward
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. face — part of the head
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. rash — hasty
  24. cell — a phone

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