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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.

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: cabinet · suit · fine · present · nail · leaves · pit · bass

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. bass — low music
  3. suit — in cards
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — the fish
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. fine — high quality
  9. pit — in a race
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. present — the time now
  15. present — a gift
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. suit — to fit
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. present — there
  20. suit — clothes
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pit — a hole
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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