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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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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: lie · cabinet · suit · bowl · toast · present · straw · rock

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. toast — bread
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. rock — a stone
  7. lie — to recline
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. present — the time now
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. suit — to fit
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. present — a gift
  18. rock — music
  19. present — there
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. suit — in cards
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. toast — the most admired

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