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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. scale — size or range
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. shower — to wash
  5. rest — a break
  6. mate — a friend
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rest — what's left
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a partner
  20. scale — in music
  21. shower — rain
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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