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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — an injury
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rest — what's left
  7. board — to get on
  8. band — a ring
  9. rest — a break
  10. board — a committee
  11. rock — a stone
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. rest — what's left
  14. band — a music group
  15. drill — a practice
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. rock — music
  18. drill — the tool
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. drill — army training
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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