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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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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: file · roll · mate · suit · cabinet · bear · bay · cold

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. file — a tool
  7. mate — to breed
  8. cold — not warm
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bear — the animal
  11. file — a document
  12. suit — to fit
  13. file — a line of people
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bear — the animal
  16. roll — a list
  17. roll — a cake
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cold — an illness
  21. suit — in cards
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. mate — a friend
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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