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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. mate — to breed
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bank — of a river
  5. mate — a partner
  6. prune — to trim
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. cell — a phone
  10. bank — for money
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — a break
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rest — what's left
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. bark — to shout
  20. cell — in biology
  21. mate — a friend
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bank — for money

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