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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — to fit
  4. mug — a face
  5. track — to keep track
  6. suit — in cards
  7. cell — in biology
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. track — a song
  10. staff — a stick
  11. cell — a phone
  12. stock — shares
  13. mug — a cup
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — employees
  16. plane — a tool
  17. game — wild animals
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. track — a path
  20. stock — goods
  21. game — a match
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. mug — to rob

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