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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: march · key · land · tube · roll · clip · cabinet · rest

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. clip — to cut
  3. key — in music
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rest — what's left
  6. march — the month
  7. rest — what's left
  8. clip — for paper
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. march — music
  11. march — the month
  12. roll — a cake
  13. rest — a break
  14. roll — a list
  15. tube — a container
  16. land — to come down
  17. land — a country
  18. key — the most important part
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. key — for a lock
  21. clip — a video
  22. tube — the underground
  23. land — ground
  24. cabinet — ministers

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