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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. scale — size or range
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. season — of the year
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. mug — a cup
  12. vault — a safe
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. charge — in control
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. scale — in music
  17. season — in sport
  18. mug — to rob
  19. shower — rain
  20. mug — a face
  21. shower — to wash
  22. charge — a price
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. charge — electricity

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