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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 116 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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. perch — the fish
  3. cell — in biology
  4. can — a tin
  5. cap — of ice
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. stock — goods
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. stock — shares
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. cap — a hat
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. rest — what's left
  23. cell — a phone
  24. cap — a lid

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