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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rush — hurry
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bound — certain
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. club — for golf
  9. cell — a phone
  10. cell — in biology
  11. bound — tied together
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. club — for dancing
  14. shower — to wash
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bound — obliged
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. shower — rain
  19. club — a group
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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