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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: pitcher · cap · cabinet · squash · staff · leaves · bark · fine

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. cap — of ice
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. staff — employees
  10. squash — the sport
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. fine — all right
  13. staff — employees
  14. fine — high quality
  15. squash — to crush
  16. staff — a stick
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — a lid
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bark — to shout
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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