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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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. bass — low music
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. vault — a safe
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. rest — what's left
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fine — high quality
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. fine — all right
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. shower — rain
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. mark — a grade
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. mark — a trace
  23. shower — to wash
  24. coach — a trainer

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