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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. game — a match
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. game — wild animals
  11. wax — to grow
  12. fine — all right
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a committee
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. fine — high quality
  17. staff — a stick
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mate — a friend
  20. staff — employees
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. mate — to breed
  23. staff — employees
  24. temple — side of the head

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