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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. fine — all right
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. club — for dancing
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. club — for golf
  13. stock — goods
  14. press — to push
  15. fine — high quality
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. club — a group
  20. press — a publisher
  21. press — newspapers
  22. stock — shares
  23. cell — in biology
  24. ruler — for measuring

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