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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. vault — a safe
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. land — to come down
  8. season — of the year
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chip — for betting
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bear — the animal
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. season — in sport
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. land — a country
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bat — the animal
  23. land — ground
  24. bear — the animal

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