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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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. chest — a box
  4. chest — of your body
  5. file — a document
  6. cell — a phone
  7. staff — employees
  8. track — a song
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. board — to get on
  11. track — a path
  12. track — to keep track
  13. chest — of your body
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. file — a line of people
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. staff — a stick
  22. file — a tool
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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