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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. charge — a price
  3. fine — high quality
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. chair — a leader
  9. stem — to come from
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wax — to grow
  19. charge — electricity
  20. fine — all right
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. wind — moving air
  24. charge — in control

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