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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 120 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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. court — of law
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. drill — a practice
  7. lie — to recline
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. drill — the tool
  12. court — for sport
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. court — of a king
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. deal — to handle
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. mine — for digging
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a committee
  22. drill — army training
  23. lean — thin
  24. mine — an explosive

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