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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: mate · jam · scale · cabinet · rest · trunk · coach · bore

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  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. cabinet — ministers
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. bore — to tire
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mate — a friend
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. scale — size or range
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. scale — in music
  18. mate — a partner
  19. bore — to drill
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. rest — a break
  23. jam — in traffic
  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