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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 116 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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. mug — a cup
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. wake — a trail
  5. saw — the tool
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. band — a ring
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. mug — a face
  14. mine — for digging
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. mug — to rob
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — in music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. band — a music group
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. saw — the tool

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