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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 · hide · dip · fan · board · rest · court · leaves

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. court — of law
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. board — a committee
  9. court — for sport
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. rest — a break
  13. rest — what's left
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. court — of a king
  17. board — to get on
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. dip — to sink
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rest — what's left

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