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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: toast · cell · rest · kick · racket · ball · saw · dip

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. toast — bread
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. rest — what's left
  12. cell — a phone
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. ball — a dance
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. saw — the tool
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. rest — a break
  20. rest — what's left
  21. kick — in football
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. saw — the tool
  24. dip — to sink

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