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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 120 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
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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 · wax · suit · fan · club · mug · temple · clip

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. club — a group
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. club — for golf
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. club — for dancing
  8. wax — to grow
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. mug — a cup
  12. suit — clothes
  13. clip — a video
  14. mug — to rob
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. clip — to cut
  17. clip — for paper
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mug — a face
  20. suit — in cards
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. temple — a place of worship

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