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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. lie — to recline
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. key — in music
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. content — happy
  12. key — for a lock
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. key — the most important part
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. fork — in a road
  24. content — the amount

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