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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 locked up in a ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mug — to rob
  4. current — electric
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. cell — in biology
  12. field — a subject
  13. current — happening now
  14. mug — a cup
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. current — of water
  17. snap — to click
  18. field — for sport
  19. mug — a face
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. cell — a phone
  22. field — farmland
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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