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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. key — for a lock
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. capital — money
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. charge — in control
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. charge — electricity
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. capital — a city
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. charge — a price
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. key — in music
  21. key — the most important part
  22. stem — to come from
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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