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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 124 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 blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. firm — decided
  3. mine — for digging
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. cell — a phone
  6. cell — in biology
  7. roll — a list
  8. roll — a cake
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. firm — steady
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — a permit
  19. saw — the tool
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. foot — a measure
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. firm — a company
  24. pass — to spend time

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