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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 120 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: rest · cabinet · game · chair · ball · present · ground · bear

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ground — crushed
  4. game — a match
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a dance
  7. rest — a break
  8. bear — the animal
  9. ground — a position
  10. chair — a leader
  11. ground — the earth
  12. rest — what's left
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. bear — the animal
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. game — wild animals
  18. rest — what's left
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. present — there
  22. present — a gift
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bear — to put up with

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