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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. chest — a box
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cell — in biology
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. chest — of your body
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. current — happening now
  9. track — a song
  10. deal — to handle
  11. chest — of your body
  12. track — to keep track
  13. plane — a tool
  14. current — electric
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. track — a path
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. current — of water
  19. cue — for pool
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. cell — a phone
  22. cue — a signal
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. trunk — of a tree

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