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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 116 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rash — hasty
  4. charge — a price
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rock — a stone
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. cue — for pool
  9. rash — a series
  10. land — to come down
  11. land — ground
  12. race — the arms race
  13. rock — music
  14. craft — boats
  15. race — humankind
  16. charge — in control
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cue — a signal
  19. race — a contest
  20. craft — a skill
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. land — a country
  23. charge — electricity
  24. cue — a hint

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