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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. hand — help
  5. cell — in biology
  6. mark — a trace
  7. cell — a phone
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. bore — to tire
  14. hand — in cards
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the fish
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. kick — in football
  20. bore — to drill
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. mark — a grade
  23. stand — to bear
  24. wave — with your hand

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