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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: cell · spell · hand · ball · mate · fork · cabinet · plane

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. spell — a short time
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. mate — a partner
  6. hand — help
  7. spell — letters
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mate — a friend
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — a tool
  12. ball — a dance
  13. cell — in biology
  14. hand — in cards
  15. mate — to breed
  16. cell — a phone
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. ball — a great time
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. spell — magic
  23. fork — in a road
  24. cabinet — ministers

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