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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 piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. key — in music
  3. key — for a lock
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. field — for sport
  7. pound — a weight
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. object — an aim
  10. mine — for digging
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. key — the most important part
  14. field — a subject
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. staff — employees
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. staff — a stick
  20. object — to protest
  21. object — a thing
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. staff — employees
  24. field — farmland

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