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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. craft — a skill
  6. board — a committee
  7. court — for sport
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. present — a gift
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. wound — an injury
  14. present — the time now
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — boats
  17. court — of a king
  18. present — there
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. court — of law
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — to get on
  23. rest — what's left
  24. wound — an injury

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