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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
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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: fan · sharp · cabinet · suit · cap · leaves · toast · tube

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. sharp — clever
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. tube — the underground
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. cap — of ice
  16. suit — to fit
  17. cap — a lid
  18. suit — in cards
  19. toast — bread
  20. cap — a hat
  21. suit — clothes
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. tube — a container

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