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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. cap — of ice
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. suit — in cards
  9. cap — a hat
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. spell — a short time
  14. cap — a lid
  15. spell — letters
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. suit — clothes
  21. plane — a tool
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. mine — for digging
  24. spell — magic

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