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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. content — happy
  3. cell — in biology
  4. cue — a hint
  5. current — of water
  6. current — happening now
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. suit — to fit
  12. content — the amount
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. current — electric
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cue — a signal
  18. suit — clothes
  19. field — a subject
  20. field — farmland
  21. suit — in cards
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. field — for sport
  24. content — videos and posts

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