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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. hand — help
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. club — for golf
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. vault — a safe
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. fine — high quality
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. club — a group
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. fine — all right
  17. pass — a permit
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. club — for dancing
  21. hand — in cards
  22. cell — in biology
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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