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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 116 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. pit — in a race
  3. land — ground
  4. dip — to sink
  5. last — to go on
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. pit — a hole
  10. last — finally
  11. drill — a practice
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. last — final
  16. land — to come down
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. drill — army training
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. land — a country
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. drill — the tool
  24. hide — to keep secret

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