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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. wound — an injury
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. current — electric
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. deal — to handle
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rule — government
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. wound — an injury
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. current — of water
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. saw — the tool
  20. current — happening now
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. rule — a law
  23. saw — the tool
  24. cell — a phone

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