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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wind — moving air
  5. plane — a tool
  6. lie — to recline
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. rule — government
  10. stock — shares
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. court — for sport
  13. stock — goods
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. court — of law
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. court — of a king
  21. rule — a law
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. plane — an aircraft

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