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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 broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. charge — in control
  4. season — in sport
  5. fork — in a road
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. charge — electricity
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. charge — a price
  11. tube — a container
  12. season — of the year
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stand — to bear
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. field — a subject
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. field — farmland
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. field — for sport
  23. tube — the underground
  24. nail — for a hammer

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