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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. squash — the sport
  3. game — wild animals
  4. craft — a skill
  5. craft — boats
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bark — to shout
  9. game — a match
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. squash — to crush
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. pitch — completely
  24. cabinet — ministers

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