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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: cabinet · roll · season · hand · stand · bulb · pit · jam

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. roll — a cake
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. hand — in cards
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. pit — in a race
  13. stand — to bear
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. hand — help
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. pit — a hole
  18. season — in sport
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. season — of the year
  24. cabinet — ministers

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