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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. face — to confront
  3. march — the month
  4. current — happening now
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. pit — in a race
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. current — of water
  10. pit — a hole
  11. staff — employees
  12. march — music
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. face — part of the head
  15. march — the month
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. current — electric
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. mine — for digging
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. face — to point toward
  24. mouse — the animal

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