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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. club — for golf
  4. club — for dancing
  5. fine — high quality
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. spring — a coil
  8. can — a tin
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. race — the arms race
  12. club — a group
  13. sharp — clever
  14. spring — of water
  15. race — humankind
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. board — a committee
  19. race — a contest
  20. fine — all right
  21. can — to be able to
  22. spring — the season
  23. board — to get on
  24. cabinet — ministers

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