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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.

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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: saw · cabinet · leaves · swing · chest · drill · rock · cell

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — army training
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. chest — a box
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. chest — of your body
  7. rock — a stone
  8. chest — of your body
  9. saw — the tool
  10. cell — in biology
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. swing — to play on
  13. cell — a phone
  14. swing — in golf
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. drill — the tool
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. swing — music
  23. saw — the tool
  24. rock — music

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