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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. cell — a phone
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. plane — a tool
  6. scale — size or range
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. rush — hurry
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. scale — in music
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. pitch — completely
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. wake — a trail
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. deal — to handle

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