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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cell · cabinet · rash · file · leaves · ball

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. ball — a great time
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. file — a tool
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. rash — a series
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. rash — hasty
  12. file — a document
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. file — a line of people
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. cell — a phone
  18. leaves — lets stay

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