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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. wound — an injury
  3. date — the fruit
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. suit — to fit
  9. cell — in biology
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. wound — an injury
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — in cards
  15. lean — thin
  16. dip — to sink
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. kick — in football
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. leaves — of a tree

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