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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · board · wax · bay · cell · pitcher · land · mug

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. wax — to grow
  5. cell — a phone
  6. land — ground
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. land — a country
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a committee
  13. mug — to rob
  14. cell — in biology
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. mug — a cup
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. mug — a face
  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