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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. file — a line of people
  3. board — a committee
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. tube — the underground
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. board — to get on
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. tube — a container
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. file — a document
  17. saw — the tool
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — to eat
  20. chip — for betting
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. file — a tool
  23. saw — the tool
  24. racket — a loud noise

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