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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. cell — a phone
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. deal — to handle
  5. mate — to breed
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. wake — a trail
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mate — a friend
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. key — in music
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cell — in biology
  18. mine — for digging
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. wake — before a funeral

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