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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 116 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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. cell — in biology
  5. present — the time now
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. charge — electricity
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. rash — a series
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. charge — a price
  16. rash — hasty
  17. cell — a phone
  18. charge — in control
  19. ball — a dance
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. present — there
  23. present — a gift
  24. rash — on the skin

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