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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  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. cell — in a prison
  2. staff — employees
  3. firm — a company
  4. shower — rain
  5. cell — in biology
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. firm — steady
  8. net — after costs
  9. swing — music
  10. firm — decided
  11. staff — employees
  12. swing — to play on
  13. swing — in golf
  14. fall — to drop
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. net — in sport
  17. fall — the season
  18. staff — a stick
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. shower — to wash
  21. fall — to drop
  22. net — for catching
  23. racket — for tennis
  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