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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. bound — certain
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. staff — employees
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. wind — moving air
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — a stick
  11. bound — obliged
  12. rock — a stone
  13. mine — for digging
  14. fork — in a road
  15. bound — tied together
  16. rock — music
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. cabinet — ministers

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