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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. tube — a container
  3. land — ground
  4. rest — what's left
  5. cap — a lid
  6. mug — to rob
  7. bound — obliged
  8. land — a country
  9. tube — the underground
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. cap — a hat
  12. rest — what's left
  13. land — to come down
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rest — a break
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — a face
  20. bound — certain
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cell — a phone
  24. bound — tied together

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