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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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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: saw · cabinet · bulb · wave · game · fine · mate · cap

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cap — a lid
  6. game — a match
  7. fine — all right
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. bulb — for light
  14. saw — the tool
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. mate — a friend
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. game — wild animals
  19. bulb — for light
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mate — a partner
  22. saw — the tool
  23. fine — high quality
  24. mate — to breed

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