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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. land — a country
  3. ball — a dance
  4. board — to get on
  5. track — to keep track
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. board — a committee
  10. land — ground
  11. track — a path
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. scale — in music
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bulb — for light
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. ball — a great time
  19. land — to come down
  20. wake — a trail
  21. track — a song
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. board — a flat piece

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