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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 116 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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. cell — in biology
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. mark — a trace
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. ball — a dance
  8. prune — to trim
  9. rush — hurry
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. cell — a phone
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. board — to get on
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. board — a committee
  21. prune — to trim
  22. lie — to recline
  23. mark — a grade
  24. board — a flat piece

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