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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: game · mate · fine · net · cap · cabinet · leaves · bound

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bound — tied together
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. game — a match
  5. cap — a hat
  6. cap — a lid
  7. mate — to breed
  8. fine — high quality
  9. mate — a partner
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. net — for catching
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. bound — certain
  15. fine — all right
  16. net — after costs
  17. mate — a friend
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. net — in sport
  21. bound — obliged
  22. cap — of ice
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. game — wild animals

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