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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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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 · press · land · mark · lean · pit · nail · cabinet

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. lean — to bend
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. land — a country
  7. cell — in biology
  8. mark — a grade
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. land — ground
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. pit — a hole
  14. press — a publisher
  15. cell — a phone
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. press — newspapers
  18. land — to come down
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. mark — a trace
  22. pit — in a race
  23. press — to push
  24. lean — thin

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