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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mate — a partner
  4. suit — to fit
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. court — of law
  8. cell — in biology
  9. mate — a friend
  10. suit — clothes
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. court — of a king
  14. mate — to breed
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. court — for sport
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. cell — a phone
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. suit — in cards

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