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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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468
Word bank
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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. cell — a phone
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. face — part of the head
  6. club — a group
  7. root — of a word
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. club — for dancing
  10. root — the cause
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. face — to point toward
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. lie — to recline
  15. club — for golf
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. cell — in biology
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. face — to confront
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. root — of a plant

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