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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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. safe — out of danger
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. stand — to bear
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. wind — moving air
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. roll — a list
  20. capital — a city
  21. capital — money
  22. roll — a cake
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bowl — a football final

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