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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. The water is too ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. cold — not warm
  3. cell — in biology
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. plane — a tool
  6. lean — thin
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. cell — a phone
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. deal — to handle
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. scale — in music
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. scale — size or range
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — to protest
  19. lean — to bend
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. object — a thing
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. cold — an illness

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