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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: cabinet · roll · bay · pass · chest · shower · foot · bear

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. roll — a list
  9. foot — a measure
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. roll — a cake
  12. chest — a box
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. chest — of your body
  15. shower — to wash
  16. chest — of your body
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bear — the animal
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. shower — rain
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. cabinet — ministers

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