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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 116 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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rock — music
  4. land — a country
  5. saw — the tool
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. rest — a break
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. land — to come down
  10. land — ground
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rock — a stone
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. rest — what's left
  19. pass — a permit
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pitcher — a jug

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