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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. court — of a king
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bank — for money
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. current — electric
  8. mark — a trace
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. date — the fruit
  12. current — happening now
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bound — certain
  15. mark — a grade
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — the fish
  18. court — of law
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bank — of a river
  21. court — for sport
  22. bank — for money
  23. current — of water
  24. bound — obliged

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