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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. lean — to bend
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. court — of law
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. object — an aim
  11. capital — a city
  12. court — of a king
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. object — to protest
  15. lean — thin
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. capital — money
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. can — a tin
  23. object — a thing
  24. court — for sport

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