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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. rock — music
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. wound — an injury
  9. ground — crushed
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. ground — the earth
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bulb — for light
  15. cell — in biology
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bore — to drill
  18. foot — a measure
  19. rush — hurry
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bore — to tire
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. ground — a position

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