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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. fall — the season
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. ground — the earth
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. fall — to drop
  12. chip — for betting
  13. ground — crushed
  14. wax — to grow
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. row — a line
  19. row — to paddle
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. fall — to drop
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. ground — a position
  24. temple — a place of worship

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