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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. firm — a company
  3. bear — the animal
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — decided
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. spell — letters
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. cap — a lid
  13. row — a line
  14. cap — of ice
  15. spell — a short time
  16. row — to paddle
  17. cap — a hat
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. spell — magic
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. vault — a safe
  24. leaves — lets stay

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