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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. mug — a cup
  3. fork — in a road
  4. kid — child
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — what's left
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. tear — from crying
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. tear — from crying
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. kid — to tease
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. firm — decided
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. season — in sport
  18. firm — a company
  19. season — of the year
  20. rest — a break
  21. tear — to rip
  22. firm — steady
  23. mug — a face
  24. mug — to rob

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