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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. suit — to fit
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. mine — for digging
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bank — for money
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bank — of a river
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bank — for money
  15. spring — of water
  16. spring — the season
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. mark — a grade
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. spring — a coil
  23. suit — clothes
  24. pitcher — a jug

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