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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. track — a song
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. bear — the animal
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pit — a hole
  7. track — a path
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. mine — for digging
  10. ball — a great time
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. band — a music group
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — in a race
  18. board — a committee
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. band — a ring
  21. board — to get on
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bear — the animal
  24. track — to keep track

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