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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. staff — a stick
  4. cell — in biology
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. kid — to tease
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — in cards
  10. staff — employees
  11. stock — shares
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stock — goods
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. craft — a skill
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. lie — to recline
  18. kid — child
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. suit — to fit
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. staff — employees
  24. craft — boats

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