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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: club · object · lean · cabinet · season · cell · fan · bound

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  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. cell — in a prison
  2. cell — in biology
  3. object — a thing
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cell — a phone
  6. season — of the year
  7. club — for dancing
  8. lean — to bend
  9. object — an aim
  10. season — in sport
  11. object — to protest
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. club — for golf
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. lean — thin
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bound — certain
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. club — a group
  21. bound — tied together
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. bound — obliged
  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