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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 124 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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. tear — from crying
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. present — there
  7. fall — to drop
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. present — a gift
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cap — of ice
  12. tear — to rip
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. season — of the year
  18. tear — from crying
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. season — in sport
  21. present — the time now
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cap — a lid
  24. fall — the season

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