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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: mouse · spring · cap · mark · bark · bay · cabinet · pitcher

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. spring — of water
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. mark — a trace
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. cap — of ice
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. mark — a grade
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. spring — a coil
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. cap — a lid
  20. spring — the season
  21. cap — a hat
  22. bark — to shout
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bay — a horse colour

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