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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. suit — in cards
  3. mark — a grade
  4. scale — size or range
  5. field — for sport
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. field — a subject
  9. mark — a trace
  10. scale — in music
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. suit — clothes
  15. field — farmland
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. suit — to fit
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. ruler — for measuring

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