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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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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. object — an aim
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. ball — a great time
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. object — to protest
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. ball — a dance
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. tube — the underground
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. object — a thing
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. tube — a container
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. patient — a sick person

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