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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. cell — a phone
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. face — part of the head
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. sharp — clever
  10. face — to confront
  11. face — to point toward
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. snap — to click
  14. lean — thin
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. foot — a measure
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. branch — a division
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. lean — to bend
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. rush — hurry
  24. foot — part of the body

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