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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. lie — to recline
  3. cell — a phone
  4. last — finally
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. suit — clothes
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. last — to go on
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. saw — the tool
  13. suit — in cards
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. net — in sport
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. saw — the tool
  20. net — after costs
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. net — for catching
  23. suit — to fit
  24. last — final

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