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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. net — in sport
  5. bulb — for light
  6. wound — an injury
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. net — after costs
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. last — final
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. last — to go on
  16. rush — hurry
  17. wound — an injury
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — electricity
  20. net — for catching
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. charge — a price
  24. last — finally

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