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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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468
Word bank
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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. suit — to fit
  5. lean — to bend
  6. stand — to bear
  7. cell — a phone
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. suit — in cards
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. squash — to crush
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pound — a weight
  18. suit — clothes
  19. rule — a law
  20. rule — government
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. squash — the sport
  24. lean — thin

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