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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cold — not warm
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. board — a committee
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. toast — bread
  16. season — of the year
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. cold — an illness
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. season — in sport
  22. rush — hurry
  23. fork — in a road
  24. board — to get on

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