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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: mark · object · fall · ruler · cabinet · leaves · fine · hand

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. hand — in cards
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. fine — all right
  8. mark — a grade
  9. fall — the season
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. object — an aim
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. mark — a trace
  14. object — to protest
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. fall — to drop
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. fine — high quality
  20. hand — help
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. fall — to drop
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. object — a thing

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