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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. toast — bread
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cap — a hat
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. stand — to bear
  9. cap — of ice
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. content — happy
  12. cap — a lid
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. land — ground
  15. land — to come down
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. land — a country
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. content — the amount
  24. leaves — of a tree

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