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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. file — a tool
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. file — a document
  8. court — for sport
  9. suit — to fit
  10. mark — a trace
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. suit — clothes
  13. file — a line of people
  14. mark — a grade
  15. court — of a king
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. pound — a weight
  19. court — of law
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. mouse — the animal

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