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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: kick · press · suit · cell · mine · object

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. cell — a phone
  3. object — a thing
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. cell — in biology
  6. suit — in cards
  7. press — to push
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. object — an aim
  10. press — newspapers
  11. suit — to fit
  12. kick — in football
  13. press — a publisher
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. object — to protest
  16. mine — for digging
  17. suit — clothes
  18. mine — an explosive

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