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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.

Make a worksheet

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: cabinet · mine · rule · fork · mark · net · pitcher · cap

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. cap — a hat
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. rule — a law
  6. net — for catching
  7. mark — a trace
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. fork — in a road
  13. cap — of ice
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. net — in sport
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. net — after costs
  19. rule — government
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. mark — a grade
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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