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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. foot — a measure
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. stand — to bear
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. cell — a phone
  13. cold — an illness
  14. wake — a trail
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. can — a tin
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. cell — in biology
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. cold — not warm
  23. can — to be able to
  24. can — a tin

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