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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. mark — a trace
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. tube — the underground
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. ball — a dance
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. scale — size or range
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. season — of the year
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. season — in sport
  19. stand — to bear
  20. ball — a great time
  21. scale — in music
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. tube — a container
  24. mark — a grade

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