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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: staff · dip · cell · leaves · rest · pit · key · mine

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. mine — for digging
  4. rest — what's left
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. key — for a lock
  8. staff — a stick
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. cell — a phone
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pit — a hole
  13. dip — to sink
  14. pit — in a race
  15. key — in music
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. staff — employees
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. key — the most important part
  22. staff — employees
  23. rest — a break
  24. leaves — lets stay

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