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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. firm — decided
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. clip — to cut
  7. firm — a company
  8. club — for dancing
  9. cell — in biology
  10. club — a group
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — in control
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. clip — for paper
  15. charge — a price
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. club — for golf
  20. firm — steady
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. clip — a video
  24. bowl — a dish

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