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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 120 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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  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. bank — for money
  3. row — a line
  4. cap — of ice
  5. last — final
  6. bank — for money
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. club — for dancing
  9. last — finally
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cap — a hat
  12. row — to paddle
  13. bank — of a river
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. last — to go on
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. club — a group
  20. cap — a lid
  21. wax — to grow
  22. lie — to recline
  23. club — for golf
  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