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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.

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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: cabinet · ball · pit · pitcher · trunk · rush · bear · mark

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. ball — a dance
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. mark — a trace
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. ball — a great time
  10. rush — hurry
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pit — in a race
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. mark — a grade
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pit — a hole
  22. bear — the animal
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pitcher — a jug

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