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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 120 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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. vault — a safe
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. season — of the year
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. bound — tied together
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bound — certain
  9. cue — a signal
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. tube — a container
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. stem — to come from
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cue — for pool
  21. bound — obliged
  22. fork — in a road
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. fork — to eat with

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