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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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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: bore · cabinet · toast · rule · craft · key · bowl · cold

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. craft — boats
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. key — the most important part
  11. key — in music
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bore — to drill
  15. cold — not warm
  16. rule — a law
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. cold — an illness
  19. key — for a lock
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. bore — to tire
  24. toast — bread

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