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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 120 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: bowl · suit · chest · stem · cell · object · face · wound

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. chest — of your body
  7. chest — of your body
  8. face — to confront
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. face — to point toward
  11. object — a thing
  12. chest — a box
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. object — an aim
  15. suit — in cards
  16. cell — a phone
  17. wound — an injury
  18. object — to protest
  19. suit — to fit
  20. stem — to come from
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. wound — an injury
  24. face — part of the head

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