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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. cell — a phone
  3. cell — in biology
  4. fine — high quality
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. rest — what's left
  9. chip — for betting
  10. pit — in a race
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. chip — to eat
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. pit — a hole
  18. rest — what's left
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. rest — a break
  21. fine — all right
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — lets stay

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