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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cell — in biology
  4. cap — a lid
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. cap — a hat
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. club — for dancing
  9. last — to go on
  10. last — finally
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bound — certain
  13. club — for golf
  14. club — a group
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. rock — music
  18. rule — a law
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bound — obliged
  23. last — final
  24. rule — government

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