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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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. squash — the vegetable
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. season — of the year
  8. shower — rain
  9. squash — the sport
  10. season — in sport
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pass — a permit
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. squash — to crush
  17. shower — to wash
  18. last — to go on
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. craft — boats
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. last — finally
  23. last — final
  24. craft — a skill

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