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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. cell — a phone
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. board — to get on
  6. race — humankind
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. saw — the tool
  9. lean — thin
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. saw — the tool
  12. ball — a great time
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — to trim
  15. ball — a dance
  16. race — the arms race
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. race — a contest
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. lean — to bend
  24. board — a committee

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