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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: present · mark · ball · game · club · chair · rock · cabinet

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. game — wild animals
  3. ball — a dance
  4. club — a group
  5. present — a gift
  6. mark — a grade
  7. present — there
  8. ball — a great time
  9. rock — a stone
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. club — for dancing
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. present — the time now
  19. rock — music
  20. chair — a leader
  21. mark — a trace
  22. game — a match
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. club — for golf

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