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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: cap · pit · row · rest · leaves · pitcher · cabinet · land

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. rest — a break
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. row — to paddle
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. rest — what's left
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. land — a country
  11. cap — a lid
  12. land — to come down
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. land — ground
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pit — a hole
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. row — a line
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pit — in a race
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. cap — a hat

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