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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. race — a contest
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bound — tied together
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. bound — obliged
  8. pit — in a race
  9. spring — a coil
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. mug — a cup
  12. cell — in biology
  13. spring — of water
  14. mug — to rob
  15. pit — a hole
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bound — certain
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. race — humankind
  21. spring — the season
  22. mug — a face
  23. rock — a stone
  24. leaves — to go away

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