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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — magic
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — a break
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. march — the month
  11. spell — letters
  12. bear — the animal
  13. sharp — clever
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. board — a committee
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. rest — what's left
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. march — music
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — to get on
  24. march — the month

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