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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. cell — in biology
  4. court — of law
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pop — soda
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. court — of a king
  10. row — a line
  11. pop — to visit
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. stem — to come from
  14. suit — clothes
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. suit — to fit
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pop — music
  20. suit — in cards
  21. foot — a measure
  22. court — for sport
  23. row — to paddle
  24. foot — the bottom

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