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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 124 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. staff — employees
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. cell — in biology
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. present — a gift
  13. fine — high quality
  14. wind — moving air
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. staff — employees
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. wind — moving air
  20. staff — a stick
  21. present — the time now
  22. fine — all right
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cell — a phone

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