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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. mate — a friend
  3. bound — certain
  4. mate — a partner
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — to trim
  7. season — of the year
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bore — to drill
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. scale — in music
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bore — to tire
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. season — in sport
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. scale — size or range
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. mate — to breed

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