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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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. rest — a break
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. rest — what's left
  8. last — final
  9. ball — a dance
  10. last — finally
  11. date — the fruit
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. craft — a skill
  14. rest — what's left
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. last — to go on
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. craft — boats

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