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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. band — a music group
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. net — after costs
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. saw — the tool
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. band — a ring
  13. club — a group
  14. club — for dancing
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. net — in sport
  21. net — for catching
  22. club — for golf
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — lets stay

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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