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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. lie — to recline
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. pit — a hole
  9. cell — a phone
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. bank — for money
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bank — for money
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. mine — for digging
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. cell — in biology
  24. bank — of a river

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