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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. prune — to trim
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. mine — for digging
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. deal — to handle
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. branch — a division
  17. lie — to recline
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. board — a committee
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. board — to get on

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