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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. staff — employees
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. season — of the year
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. toast — bread
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. cell — a phone
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mug — a cup
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. mug — a face
  15. cold — not warm
  16. staff — a stick
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. staff — employees
  19. season — in sport
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. cold — an illness
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. temple — side of the head

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