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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 is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. lean — thin
  3. lean — to bend
  4. ball — a great time
  5. pass — a permit
  6. field — a subject
  7. charge — a price
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. field — farmland
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. field — for sport
  12. bear — the animal
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. bear — the animal
  17. ball — a dance
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. charge — in control
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. charge — electricity
  24. lean — to rest against

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