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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: straw · ground · cell · lean · track · mate · nail · fine

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. cell — a phone
  3. track — a song
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. ground — a position
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. mate — a partner
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. track — to keep track
  11. fine — high quality
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. lean — to bend
  14. ground — the earth
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. fine — all right
  19. mate — to breed
  20. ground — crushed
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. lean — thin
  23. track — a path
  24. mate — a friend

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