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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. mug — to rob
  3. band — a ring
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — a company
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. mug — a face
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. mug — a cup
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. firm — decided
  14. band — a music group
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. kick — in football

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