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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: spring · press · cell · date · cabinet · craft · leaves · roll

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. date — the fruit
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. craft — a skill
  7. press — newspapers
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. spring — of water
  10. craft — boats
  11. press — a publisher
  12. cell — a phone
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. press — to push
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. spring — the season
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. roll — a cake
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. spring — a coil
  24. roll — a list

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