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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. cell — in biology
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. cell — a phone
  5. key — for a lock
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. object — an aim
  8. key — the most important part
  9. object — to protest
  10. spell — a short time
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. key — in music
  13. rest — a break
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. object — a thing
  17. spell — letters
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. spell — magic
  24. rest — what's left

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