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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. file — a line of people
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pass — a permit
  6. cell — a phone
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. suit — in cards
  9. cell — in biology
  10. file — a document
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. suit — clothes
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. suit — to fit
  16. cold — an illness
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. scale — size or range
  22. cold — not warm
  23. file — a tool
  24. scale — in music

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