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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. band — a ring
  3. present — the time now
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — a stick
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. band — a music group
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. staff — employees
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. pass — a permit
  16. present — a gift
  17. present — there
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. tube — the underground
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. tube — a container
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. tube — in a tire

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