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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. key — in music
  4. charge — in control
  5. march — music
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. charge — electricity
  9. key — for a lock
  10. key — the most important part
  11. last — final
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. prune — to trim
  14. march — the month
  15. charge — a price
  16. last — to go on
  17. last — finally
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. saw — the tool
  21. march — the month
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. prune — to trim

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