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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. cell — a phone
  4. last — finally
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. row — a line
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. dip — to sink
  11. last — final
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. row — to paddle
  16. deal — to handle
  17. lean — thin
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. lean — to bend
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. last — to go on
  24. leaves — 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