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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mate — a partner
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. cell — in biology
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. rule — government
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. cell — a phone
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. rule — a law
  20. mate — a friend
  21. stem — to come from
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. temple — a place of worship

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