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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: cell · rock · deal · lie · cabinet · mark · arm · date

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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. arm — part of the body
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. date — the fruit
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. rock — a stone
  11. mark — a grade
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — to recline
  14. rock — music
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. cell — in biology
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. mark — a trace

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