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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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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: bat · tube · suit · cabinet · prune · foot · cell · firm

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. suit — clothes
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. tube — the underground
  6. cell — in biology
  7. prune — to trim
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. prune — to trim
  10. cell — a phone
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — steady
  17. suit — in cards
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. tube — a container
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. firm — decided
  23. bat — the animal
  24. suit — to fit

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