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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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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 · snap · band · perch · board · ball · jam · cell

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. band — a ring
  3. cell — a phone
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. ball — a great time
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. board — to get on
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. ball — a dance
  17. board — a committee
  18. band — a music group
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. snap — to click
  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