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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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: racket · spell · cell · cabinet · present · mate

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. mate — to breed
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. spell — a short time
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. spell — magic
  8. present — the time now
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — a friend
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cell — in biology
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. present — a gift
  15. cell — a phone
  16. present — there
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. spell — letters

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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