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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. bound — certain
  3. pitch — completely
  4. rest — what's left
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mark — a trace
  7. drill — army training
  8. face — to point toward
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. mark — a grade
  11. drill — the tool
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bound — tied together
  15. face — to confront
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bound — obliged
  20. face — part of the head
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. rest — what's left
  23. drill — a practice
  24. rest — a break

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