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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. cold — an illness
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pound — a weight
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cold — not warm
  17. last — finally
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — to bear
  20. last — final
  21. last — to go on
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. pound — for dogs

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