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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. spring — of water
  3. cell — a phone
  4. date — the fruit
  5. cell — in biology
  6. rock — a stone
  7. spring — a coil
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. staff — employees
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. spring — the season
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. rock — music
  19. dip — to sink
  20. staff — a stick
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. staff — employees
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. deal — to handle

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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