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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. suit — clothes
  3. ball — a great time
  4. land — a country
  5. tear — from crying
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. chair — a leader
  9. suit — in cards
  10. board — to get on
  11. land — ground
  12. tear — to rip
  13. land — to come down
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. tear — from crying
  16. suit — to fit
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. ball — a dance
  23. pass — a permit
  24. ball — a round shape

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