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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. mug — a face
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. vault — a safe
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. mug — to rob
  9. scale — in music
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. season — of the year
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — the tool
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. scale — size or range
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. mug — a cup
  22. season — in sport
  23. drill — a practice
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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