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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 · fine · mouse · rock · rule · land · racket · straw

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. rock — music
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. fine — all right
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. land — to come down
  13. rule — government
  14. rock — a stone
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. land — a country
  17. fine — high quality
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. rule — a law
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rock — to move gently

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