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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. mine — for digging
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. stand — to bear
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. cell — a phone
  7. squash — to crush
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. cell — in biology
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. present — there
  14. staff — a stick
  15. present — a gift
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. present — the time now
  18. squash — the sport
  19. staff — employees
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. staff — employees

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