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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. suit — in cards
  3. cell — in biology
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. land — ground
  9. suit — clothes
  10. mate — to breed
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. land — a country
  18. suit — to fit
  19. cell — a phone
  20. mate — a partner
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. mate — a friend
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — to cool the air

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