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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. cell — in biology
  3. pit — a hole
  4. drill — a practice
  5. ball — a dance
  6. pit — in a race
  7. drill — the tool
  8. rock — a stone
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. drill — army training
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — the season
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. fall — to drop
  20. board — to get on
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. rock — music
  23. ball — a great time
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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