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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. season — in sport
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. mate — a partner
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mate — to breed
  10. field — farmland
  11. mate — a friend
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. field — a subject
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. bound — tied together
  19. field — for sport
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. season — of the year
  23. bound — certain
  24. bound — obliged

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