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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 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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. club — a group
  3. scale — size or range
  4. chair — a leader
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. scale — in music
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. last — finally
  12. club — for dancing
  13. club — for golf
  14. rush — hurry
  15. last — to go on
  16. last — final
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. season — of the year
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. season — in sport
  24. rush — to hurry

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