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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. rush — hurry
  3. present — a gift
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. cell — a phone
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. stand — to bear
  10. cue — for pool
  11. present — the time now
  12. snap — to click
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. present — there
  17. foot — a measure
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. cue — a hint
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. plane — a tool
  24. plane — an aircraft

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