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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. mark — a grade
  3. perch — the fish
  4. rush — hurry
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. rest — a break
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. mark — a trace
  12. rest — what's left
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. cell — in biology
  15. cell — a phone
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. vault — a safe
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. rest — what's left
  24. mark — to pay attention

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