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

Word bank: file · cell · bay · pit · stem · cabinet · land · suit

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. cell — a phone
  3. land — ground
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pit — a hole
  10. land — a country
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. stem — to come from
  14. pit — in a race
  15. file — a line of people
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. file — a tool
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. suit — in cards
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. cell — in biology
  22. suit — to fit
  23. land — to come down
  24. suit — clothes

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