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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 116 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: pop · cell · mine · object · mouse · squash · plane · staff

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. cell — in biology
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. cell — a phone
  7. staff — employees
  8. pop — soda
  9. object — a thing
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. staff — a stick
  12. object — to protest
  13. object — an aim
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. staff — employees
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pop — to visit
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. plane — a tool
  20. pop — music
  21. squash — to crush
  22. mine — for digging
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. squash — the sport

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