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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: bound · scale · ball · dip · mug · cell · wind · cabinet

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. bound — tied together
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. dip — to sink
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. bound — certain
  8. cell — in biology
  9. mug — a cup
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. mug — a face
  13. bound — obliged
  14. wind — moving air
  15. scale — size or range
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. cell — a phone
  19. wind — moving air
  20. ball — a dance
  21. scale — in music
  22. ball — a great time
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. mug — to rob

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