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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cap — a hat
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. board — a committee
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. cell — in biology
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bore — to drill
  12. cell — a phone
  13. bore — to tire
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. net — after costs
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. net — for catching
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. cap — of ice
  20. net — in sport
  21. cap — a lid
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — to get on
  24. cell — in a prison

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