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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. cell — in biology
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. net — in sport
  9. spring — the season
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. swing — in golf
  14. spring — a coil
  15. swing — music
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. net — for catching
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. spring — of water
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. net — after costs
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. swing — to play on

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