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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. wound — an injury
  5. track — a song
  6. spell — letters
  7. bear — the animal
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. spell — a short time
  12. track — to keep track
  13. wound — an injury
  14. board — to get on
  15. spell — magic
  16. saw — the tool
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. track — a path
  23. saw — the tool
  24. calf — a young animal

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