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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. mark — a grade
  3. cell — in biology
  4. cold — an illness
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. cold — not warm
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. firm — decided
  13. board — to get on
  14. firm — steady
  15. present — the time now
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. lean — thin
  19. present — there
  20. present — a gift
  21. board — a committee
  22. lean — to bend
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. firm — a company

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