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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rock · cap · file · ball · object · cabinet · court · mouse

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rock — a stone
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. file — a tool
  6. object — an aim
  7. rock — music
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. object — a thing
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. court — of law
  12. file — a line of people
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. object — to protest
  15. ball — a great time
  16. court — for sport
  17. court — of a king
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. file — a document
  20. cap — a lid
  21. ball — a dance
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. cap — of ice

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