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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. fine — all right
  4. bass — low music
  5. key — in music
  6. can — a tin
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. bass — the fish
  9. pitch — completely
  10. can — to be able to
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. fine — high quality
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. can — a tin
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. key — for a lock
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. key — the most important part
  24. leaves — to go away

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