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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 120 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: pitcher · cell · sharp · pit · stick · cabinet · can · ball

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. cell — in biology
  3. can — to be able to
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. can — a tin
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. can — a tin
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. sharp — clever
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. ball — a great time
  18. pit — a hole
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cell — a phone
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pit — in a race
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. cell — in a prison

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