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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: cabinet · mine · squash · chest · stand · leaves · mug · object

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. object — an aim
  3. squash — the sport
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. object — a thing
  6. mine — for digging
  7. mug — to rob
  8. squash — to crush
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. chest — of your body
  14. stand — to bear
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. chest — a box
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. chest — of your body
  21. mug — a face
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. object — to protest

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