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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.

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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. capital — money
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. pit — a hole
  10. net — after costs
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. scale — in music
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. net — in sport
  19. scale — size or range
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. capital — a city
  22. net — for catching
  23. pit — in a race
  24. safe — out of danger

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