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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: ball · fan · suit · arm · leaves · mark · chair · cabinet

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. suit — clothes
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. mark — a trace
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. suit — in cards
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. chair — a leader
  16. mark — a grade
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. ball — a great time
  23. suit — to fit
  24. leaves — to go away

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