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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 120 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 · fall · coach · temple · cell · cap · stock · leaves

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. stock — goods
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cell — in biology
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. fall — to drop
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. fall — the season
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. cell — a phone
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. stock — shares
  24. cap — a lid

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