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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
468
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: rush · fork · bear · cell · rash · wound · fine · cabinet

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — high quality
  4. rash — hasty
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. fine — all right
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. wound — an injury
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rash — a series
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. fork — in a road
  16. rush — hurry
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. bear — the animal
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. cell — a phone
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. cell — in biology

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