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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: last · mouse · pass · cabinet · spring · present · spell · land

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. spell — a short time
  4. present — there
  5. land — to come down
  6. last — final
  7. last — finally
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. spring — of water
  11. pass — a permit
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. spell — letters
  14. present — a gift
  15. last — to go on
  16. present — the time now
  17. spell — magic
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. land — ground
  22. spring — a coil
  23. spring — the season
  24. land — a country

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